Do you have travel plans over the Fourth of July? If so, buckle up for busy roads and airports. AAA is projecting domestic travel will see an increase of 1.7 million travelers as compared to last year.
“Summertime is one of the busiest travel seasons of the year, and July 4th is one of the most popular times to get away,” said Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel. “Following Memorial Day’s record forecast, AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week. With the holiday falling on a Friday, travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to make memories with family and friends.”
AAA is projecting that 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles over the Fourth of July period from June 28 to July 6.
Best and Worst Times for Car Travel
So when should you ideally hit the road to avoid traffic? Transportation data provider INRIX says Wednesday, July 2, and Sunday, July 6, will be the busiest days on the road. And afternoon hours will be the most congested.
The best times to travel by car are July 3 and 4 before noon and July 5 and 6 before 11 a.m., according to INRIX. The worst times are July 3 from 2 to 6 p.m., July 4 from noon to 7 p.m., July 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and July 6 from noon to 6 p.m.
Air Travel for the Fourth of July
The airports will also be busier this year. At Dulles International Airport, United says it’s flying 10 percent more travelers than during the holiday last year. July 3 is expected to be the busiest travel day, it says.
United reports the top domestic destinations are Orlando, Seattle, and Boston. International bookings are up by around 6 percent compared to last year, with top destinations including London, Frankfurt, and Cancun.
United advises travelers to arrive early to the airport and to download its mobile app to help skip lines.
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Feature image courtesy Milan/stock.adobe.com
