From clogged interstates and sky-high TSA counts to a freak lightning strike that blew up a Florida fireworks show, Independence Day 2025 shattered records on the ground, in the air—and even in the power grid. Here are a dozen headline-worthy numbers to round out your holiday coverage.
72.2 Million Travelers Hit the Road
AAA’s holiday forecast tallied an all-time high of 72.2 million Americans journeying 50 miles or more between June 28 and July 6, eclipsing last year’s record by nearly two million.
18.5 Million Flyers Crowd Checkpoints
TSA said it would screen more than 18.5 million passengers over the holiday stretch, marking six record travel days so far this year. The prediction market Kalshi is projecting an average of 2.68 million daily TSA check-ins this week.
Sunday alone could top $2.9 million passengers, according to TSA projections.
Vrbo’s Last-Minute Bookings Jump 15%
Vacation-rental giant Vrbo reported a double-digit surge in spontaneous reservations for July 3–6 stays, led by beach hotspots such as Destin, Florida.
Average Hotel Night Drops to $213
U.S. room rates averaged $213—down 8% from 2024—offering a rare holiday price break even as occupancy hovered near 72%.
Roughly 275 Million lbs. of Fireworks Set Off
The American Pyrotechnics Association estimates Americans ignited about 275 million pounds of fireworks this season, roughly 250 million of them consumer-grade.
Joey “Jaws” Chestnut Downs 71 Hot Dogs
After a one-year absence, Chestnut reclaimed the Mustard Belt at Coney Island, polishing off 71 dogs in 10 minutes to notch his 17th Nathan’s title.
Lightning-Strike Fireworks Fail Goes Viral
In Sanford, Florida, a storm bolt ignited an entire pyrotechnics cache hours early, canceling the city’s show but lighting up social feeds nationwide.
After Record Heat, Things Cool Off
Last week and into early this week, the heat index topped 110 °F in much of the Northeast as a stubborn heat dome baked the region. Luckily things cooled off by Friday, with those areas falling into the 90s — still hot but not unbearable or terribly dangerous. As a side note, according to prediction markets, there’s a 12% chance this July is the hottest July ever.
