After a smooth start to summer travel, disruptions, delays and frustrations have been mounting this week leading into one of busiest travel times of the year.
Nearly 51 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more from their homes over the Fourth of July weekend, according to an AAA projection, which would break the 2019 record of 49 million. The organization considers Friday through Tuesday the long weekend, though huge crowds are also expected Thursday and the day after the holiday.
Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said numbers usually tick up in good years, but this year’s anticipated records reflect pent-up demand during the pandemic.
“The influx that we’re seeing now is still full-speed ahead,” she said.
But that speed has been running into thunderstorms, air traffic control issues and other tangles that are threatening a rough start to the holiday travel stretch. Here are five tips from experts to help travelers navigate the ride.
The best times to drive for July 4
Hope to set out for a holiday weekend road trip on Friday? Join the club.
According to INRIX, a transportation data company that forecasts road congestion for AAA, Friday is expected to deliver the worst traffic. Average driving times could be nearly 30 percent higher than normal, the company says, with major metropolitan areas such as Boston, Seattle and D.C. faring the worst.
On that day, the best travel times are expected to be before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m.
The worst times to drive Thursday are between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. On Saturday, drivers will do best to hit the road before noon; 1 p.m. is expected to be the worst time to travel.
Sunday and Monday should both see only “minimal traffic impact,” according to INRIX, before things get busy again on the official holiday on Tuesday. For the Fourth itself, traveling before 11 a.m. and after 6 p.m. is the best option; driving between noon and 3 p.m. is the worst.
Roads are expected to be crowded again on Wednesday from 3-6 p.m., so the best travel time is before 2 p.m.
“With record-breaking travelers expected on the road this holiday weekend, drivers should prepare for above-average delays to their favorite destinations,” Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst at INRIX, said in a news release. He recommended using traffic apps, paying attention to local transportation department notifications and using the 511 service to get travel information.
For people planning to fly, the Transportation Security Administration expects Thursday through Wednesday to be busy, with peak crowds on Friday. Prepare to be joined by roughly 2.82 million fellow fliers that day — far more than flew on any single day around Thanksgiving or Christmas last year. The agency said its high for the Fourth of July holiday was on July 7, 2019, when it screened 2.79 million travelers.
The Federal Aviation Administration, meanwhile, forecasts Thursday to have the most flights, with a peak of 52,564.
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