Holiday travelers in Colorado can expect hot weather, higher gasoline prices and heavy traffic as more people take to the road and air this year than last.
Although the Fourth of July is not typically a top holiday for air travel, July and March are rivals for the second-busiest month at Denver International Airport after August.
“Add some time and some patience,” advised Chuck Cannon, a spokesman at DIA. “Ticket-counter lines will be longer. Security screening lines will be longer.”
The top five out-of-state destinations for Coloradans flying during the July 4 holiday week are Las Vegas; San Francisco; Orange County, Calif.; Orlando, Fla.; and Seattle, according to an AAA survey.
Orange County is home to Disneyland, Orlando is the home of Disney World and Seattle is a key departure point for summer cruises to Alaska.
Top destinations within the state include Denver, Colorado Springs, Alamosa, Durango and Vail.
Mountain resorts have several events planned. Keystone has, among other things, a fishing derby, a bike parade for kids, a concert by the National Repertory Orchestra and a new downhill mountain-biking event expected to attract 400 racers.
“The hotter temperatures forecasted will most likely translate into more people escaping the heat in Denver or elsewhere around the country to enjoy the cooler temperatures in Keystone,” said Amy Kemp, a spokeswoman for Keystone Resort.
The AAA estimates that 41.1 million Americans will leave home this holiday week, which stretches from Friday to July 8, up from the more than 40.8 million who traveled over the holiday last year.
“Even with the higher gasoline prices, people are still traveling,” said Eric Escudero, a spokesman for the Colorado AAA.
Escudero said travelers are cutting back on other costs, such as lodging and food. But finding a cheap room while on the road is becoming more of a challenge.
Hotel rates nationally are up nearly 5 percent compared with last year for AAA-rated “Three Diamond” hotels. In Colorado, average hotel rates in that category are up 32 percent to $146, from $111 a year ago.
At $3.14 a gallon for regular unleaded, gasoline prices in the state are on average 28 cents higher a gallon than a year ago. But they are down from the record $3.34 a gallon on May 24.
Staff writer Aldo Svaldi can be reached at 303-954-1410 or asvaldi@denverpost.com.
