Many Americans consider 4th of Jul travel plans to be the quintessential vacation. It is a trip filled with fun, excitement, and family. beachesBBQ, and precious moments with family and close friends. Before you make it to the fireworks And good times. But you also have to deal with the chaos, traffic and crowds that come along with travel at peak hours.
The 4th of June travel forecast for this year is expected to be especially busy. According to the latest estimates, 72.2 million people will travel during the Independence Day holiday period, which runs from June 28 to July 6. estimates from AAA. This is an increase of 2.4% from last season. Stacey Barber is the vice president of AAA Travel. She said that following Memorial Day’s record-breaking forecast, AAA Travel has seen a strong demand for air and road travel during Independence Day week. The holiday falls on a friday, so travelers can choose to take a long weekend with their family or friends.
This means that travelers can expect to see record levels of congestion on the highways, and crowds in the interior. airport terminalsThe TSA estimates that it will screen 18,5 million people between Tuesday, 1 July, and Monday, 7 July. If you’re planning to travel by car, train, plane or cruise, here’s how you can avoid traffic and crowds.
Road Trips
Most travelers heading out for Independence Day this year will be on a road trip. AAA predicts that a whopping 61.6 million people will travel by car over the holiday period—an additional 1.3 million road travelers compared to 2024, and the highest volume the agency has ever recorded.
The importance of timing your departure strategically is greater than ever. Inrix’s transportation insight firm predicts that the busiest days for driving will be on Wednesday, 2 July, and Sunday, 6 July. The afternoon will generally be the busiest time, so it is best to leave early in the morning.
Inrix and AAA also identified peak congestion times during the holiday in 16 major metros across the nation, including: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New YorkPhiladelphia, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, Washington, DC. You should consult a road map if you intend to drive into or out of one of the cities listed above. the list of predicted worst congestion times. The worst time to depart Atlanta is on Sunday, June 29 at 12:15 pm, while the busiest day for drivers leaving Chicago will be Wednesday, July 2 at 6 pm.
Hertz, a car rental company, says the busiest day for pickups will be on July 3. The highest number of rentals are booked in Orlando and Denver. BostonOahu is located in Hawaii. Seattle. Check if the rental company you are using offers express pickup if you are renting a vehicle from one of these cities. These expedited reservations allow those who are members of the company’s loyalty program to bypass the queue or go through the express lane. Hertz advises customers to create a free Gold Plus Rewards account and link it to a Clear free account to gain access to its Fast LaneThe rental lot can be exited in just seconds.
Air travel
Like road trips, people are planning to take flights over the Fourth of July. This is expected to be a record-breaking number. AAA reports that in 2025 5.84 million people will travel by plane to their Independence Day destinations, an increase of 1.4% compared to the year 2024.
