Between traveling to soccer matches and planning for travel to celebration the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration, it appears more travelers are hitting the road rather than flying in for matches as Hertz data has revealed a surge in car rentals.

Travelers are building flexible itineraries, renting cars between FIFA matches and exploring more of the U.S. along the way. This shift in travel behavior shows an increase in one-way rentals, double-digit growth in secondary markets and rising demands along iconic U.S. routes.

Key Hertz booking data trends include:

Iconic routes are becoming fan travel corridors: One-way rentals between major metros are surging, including New York–Boston and Los Angeles–San Francisco, alongside high-traffic corridors like Los Angeles–Las Vegas and Orlando–Tampa–Miami. Travelers are opting to drive between cities rather than stay in one place.

International demand is shaping travel patterns in real time: Visitors from France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and China are among the top inbound travelers, highlighting the global footprint of fans currently exploring the U.S.

Double-digit growth expanding beyond traditional gateway cities: Year-over-year July reservations are rising in several markets, including Kansas City (+25%), Philadelphia (+17%), Houston (+12%), Seattle (+10%) and Boston (+8%), reflecting broader interest across a wider range of destinations.

Affordability is accelerating the shift to cars: With one-way rentals averaging roughly $60-70 per day for a midsize vehicle, travelers are increasingly choosing cars as a cost-effective option, especially compared to purchasing multiple plane, train or bus tickets. One vehicle can accommodate an entire group, offering both savings and flexibility.

Additionally, Route 66 is seeing heightened demand during the centenary year, and historic New England travel is climbing.

“We’re seeing this play out across our Hertz network in real time. Fans aren’t just attending matches, they’re renting cars to see more of the country and turning their trips into flexible, multi-stop journeys that go far beyond a single city,” said Adnan Manzur, Senior Vice President of North America Customer Operations at Hertz in a statement. “It’s creating a moment where both international visitors and Americans are rediscovering what makes traveling here so unique.”