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Fourth of July travel: The best and worst times to hit the road

Published

1 year ago

June 30, 2023

Tens of millions of people are hitting the road over the holiday weekend marked by fireworks, parades, barbecues and beach trips.

The Fourth of July holiday is typically a chaotic time to travel, as scores of people try to take advantage of an extended weekend. However, travel experts project that this year, in particular, will see a record number of people traveling by car and plane.

Even those who are taking a flight somewhere have to get to the airport, and the roads are going to be packed with cars, potentially causing significant delays depending on the departure time.

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This year, more than 50 million Americans are expected to travel. Of them, 43.2 million are expected to drive, and 4.17 million are expected to fly, according to AAA data.

Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for AAA, told FOX Business that people traveling by car should leave early in the morning or after 6 p.m. to avoid heavy traffic.

“There’s usually more congestion midday,” Diaz said, adding that it’s vital for travelers to check their tire pressure, oil and battery before heading out.

Eric Jones, the co-founder of TheVacationer.com, agreed, saying that departing after dinnertime is best, especially on Friday.

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“This will avoid most of the congestion from people who left work early to get to their destination,” Jones said. “It is very common for employers to give workers a half day or at least an early dismissal on days before a holiday weekend. When everyone leaves work early and heads to their destination at the same time, we see the congestion build.”

He noted that passengers will get a bit of a breather if they head out on Sunday or Monday, as the majority of people will be settled into their destination at that point.

“We expect to see little if any congestion on the roads,” Jones said.

For those who are flying, Diaz suggested that passengers get to the airport early and only use a carry-on if feasible.

“Travel demand is sky-high this year, but inventory is down,” she added. “There are fewer flights available, so airplanes are packed. If there’s a cancellation, travelers may not get rebooked until days later.”