4th of July Travel Guide 2024: Best Days to Travel for July Fourth Weekend

Planning your Fourth of July travel can be complex this year, given that the holiday lands on a Thursday, making it a midweek celebration. While some travelers may opt to take Monday off for an extended weekend, others might save their vacation days for different occasions.

If you’re looking for insights on booking air travel for the July Fourth weekend in 2024 and strategies to steer clear of crowds while potentially saving on airfare, you’re in the right place.

Discover the optimal and busiest days for air travel around July Fourth weekend:

TSA data from the past years (2019-2022) reveals that the Friday before July Fourth consistently emerges as the busiest travel day preceding the holiday weekend.

Wondering about airport crowds on July Fourth itself? The statistics indicate that it’s the least congested day for flying, with crowds averaging only 81% compared to peak travel days, a finding supported by the FAA’s forecasts.

Here’s a breakdown of the worst days to travel during the 4th of July period, sorted from most to least crowded based on historical data.

Optimize your Fourth of July travel itinerary with these strategies:

1. Embrace Saturday Travel: Shift your departure to Saturday morning instead of Friday evening to transition from a peak to a less congested travel day, potentially scoring better flight deals.
2. Consider Flying on July Fourth: Surprisingly, traveling on the holiday itself often means encountering the lightest air travel day of the analyzed period. Booking early morning flights on July Fourth can further reduce delays and allow you to catch destination fireworks.
3. Fly on July 5: Be cautious as July 5, 2024, being a Friday, could see heightened travel demand and increased costs, resembling one of the busiest days for air travel year-round.

According to comprehensive analysis, discover the top-ranked busiest travel days during the July Fourth weekend based on annual averages.

Typically, the worst days to travel around the July Fourth weekend in the United States are the days immediately before and after the holiday itself. This is when people tend to take extended weekends or vacations, leading to heavy traffic and crowded transportation systems. Here’s a ranked list from most to least crowded:

1. July 1st (Monday): As the last workday before the holiday, this day can also be quite crowded as people rush to begin their vacations.
2. July 2nd (Tuesday): Similar to Wednesday, this day might see increased travel as people start their long weekend plans.
3. July 3rd (Wednesday): Since the Fourth of July falls on a Thursday in 2024, many people might take off Wednesday to create a long weekend, leading to heavy travel congestion.
4. July 4th (Thursday): The holiday itself might see a mix of travelers, but it’s often not as congested as the days leading up to it or immediately after.
5. July 5th (Friday): Many people extend their holiday into the weekend, leading to increased travel on this day.
6. July 6th (Saturday): While still busy, Saturday tends to be slightly less crowded as compared to Friday since some people may have already completed their holiday travels by this time.
7. July 7th (Sunday): The day after the holiday can also be busy as people return from their trips or vacations.

Keep in mind that these rankings can vary depending on specific locations, popular travel destinations, and other factors such as weather conditions and ongoing events. It’s always a good idea to plan ahead, book tickets early, and check for any travel advisories or updates from transportation authorities.

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