Phoenix, Ariz., June 29, 2010. With nearly 760,000 Arizonans planning to celebrate their independence by traveling 50 or more miles from home over the Fourth of July holiday, the roads and sky will undoubtedly be busy this weekend.

While most travelers will enjoy their holiday weekend without incident, others will face unexpected interruptions. Travelers looking to lessen the likelihood of a wrinkle in their trip plans should take the proper precautions, as well as utilize free travel tools and resources.

“With an increase in travel of more than 19 percent, those traveling will face more traffic and congestion than they did last year,” said Linda Gorman, director of communications and public affairs for AAA Arizona. “We encourage travelers to plan ahead and take advantage of resources that can help them save time and money over the holiday weekend.”
 

To ensure a seamless Fourth of July getaway, AAA would like to offer the following tips for those traveling by car, air or staying home:

• Traveling by motor vehicle? Be prepared!  If you’re taking a road trip this weekend, you’re not alone. Nearly 90 percent – or more than 669,000 Arizonans traveling this weekend – will travel by way of motor vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is prepared to make the trek with a quick look under the hood, or trip to your trusted auto repair facility. In addition, make sure your vehicle is prepared to handle emergency situations with an emergency car care kit.

Motorists should also familiarize themselves with tools that can help them on the road, such as the AAA Roadside App and TripTik® Mobile App, which can help drivers summon roadside assistance and obtain directions, nearby gas stations and pricing, road closures, and points of interest along their route. Additionally, these applications can help identify AAA Approved and Owned Auto Repair near them. Sprint® customers can utilize AAA FindMe™  to have their GPS location sent to AAA when requesting roadside assistance. 

• Traveling by air? Pack patience! More than 39,000 Arizonans will be taking to the skies this weekend, an increase of 10 percent over last year. Air travelers should check their flight status prior to leaving home and build extra time into their itineraries to combat increased air traffic, which can lead to long lines for check-in, security check-points and possible delays.

Air travelers should also review TSA security guidelines to ensure a hassle-free security screening process. In addition, if parking at the airport, travelers should take advantage of parking discounts. AAA members can save 30 percent at The Parking Spot, and up to 50 percent at FASTTRACK Airport Parking, for example.

• Staying home? Stay in style! Arizona is home to a number of Four and Five Diamond properties with countless amenities. Many of these properties offer Arizonans unbeatable summer rates and have a variety of activities taking place over the holiday weekend.

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, a AAA Five Diamond property, is offering a Red, White and Boogie Getaway Package, which includes accommodations, admission for four to the Red, White and Boogie concert, as well as a cookout of grill buffet favorites, from $199 per room. The Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa, a AAA Four Diamond property, is also offering a Red, White & Blue package that includes overnight accommodations, patriotic themed activities, and aerial viewing party from the resort’s grand lawn of the Rawhide fireworks display from $149 per night.

• No matter where you go, seek savings!  The number of Arizonans traveling isn’t the only thing on the rise this year – so are travel costs! The price of hotels, fuel and airfare are all higher this year, experiencing increases ranging from 3.9 to 13.5 percent. As a result, be sure to utilize tools that can help you budget and save, including AAA’s Fuel Cost Calculator, which can help motorists budget their fuel costs in advance. In addition, the AAA Discounts App can help travelers locate AAA member discounts using their phone’s GPS location.

AAA Arizona, the Arizona affiliate of AAA, provides automotive, insurance and auto travel services to nearly 800,000 Arizona members.  Annually, AAA’s Emergency Road Service responds to more than 450,000 calls for help on the streets and highways of the state as well as providing insurance, travel, and financial services to AAA members and motorists. Since its founding in 1927, AAA Arizona has been a leading advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.  In 2008, AAA was ranked the No. 1 “socially responsible” brand by Landor’s BrandAsset® Valuator.