If you’re going to take to the skies for July Fourth, better get there early — and pack some patience.
The Transportation Safety Administration says June 14 saw its second-highest recorded number of travelers, with more than 2.92 million people screened. And with the July Fourth holiday approaching, the agency is already reminding travelers to get to the airport early.
In fact, AAA is expecting some 71 million people to travel over that holiday week — with the organization explaining that would set a pre-pandemic record. That total is a 5% increase over 2023, and an 8.8% increase — some 5.7 million people more — compared to 2019, before we heard the term “social distancing.”
AAA is forecasting 60.6 million people will take to the road for that July Fourth week, with 5.74 million flying — up 12% from 2019 — and 4.62 million taking the train, a cruise or a bus.
If you’re driving, buckle up, both literally and psychologically: The traffic analysts at INRIX are predicting road trips over the holiday week could take up to 67% longer than normal.