The Fourth of July is Independence Day in the United States, a federal holiday celebrated with fireworks, family time, and festivities across the country. Falling on Friday this year, Americans have seized the long weekend holiday to make travel plans with their loved ones. The US Federal Aviation Administration said this Fourth of July travel week will be the busiest seen in 15 years, with over 300,000 flights scheduled throughout the week, reported NBC News. The Transportation Security Administration expects more than 18.5 million people to travel by air over this holiday week.
A Record-Breaking Number Of Travellers
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), a record 72.2 million people are expected to travel domestically this week from June 28 to July 6, 2025. This accounts for an increase of 1.7 million travellers compared to 2024 during this time.
Of those travellers, AAA says 61.6 million people will travel by car, 5.84 million by air, and 4.78 million by bus, train, or cruise. The number of people travelling by car is also 1.3 million travellers more than last year, marking "the highest volume on record," according to AAA.
Managing Road Trip With Traffic And Storm Threats
INRIX, which delivers real-time parking and traffic information, said July 2 and July 6 will be the busiest days on the road, reported Fox Business. The maximum congestion is expected in the afternoon, and travellers are advised to start their journey early in the morning. Construction, crashes or severe weather could also impact travel times.
As per the weather forecast for Independence Day, the West Coast will enjoy a mild and sunny day. Texas and Florida will see more scattered storms, with a possibility for severe storms in the Northern Plains. The Northeast will experience pleasant weather.
Best and worst times to travel during the Fourth of July holiday weekend, as reported by Fox Business:
Friday, July 4
- Best: Before noon
- Worst: 12 pm to 7 pm
Saturday, July 5
- Best: Before 11 am
- Worst: 11 am to 5 pm
Sunday, July 6
- Best: Before 11 am
- Worst: 12 pm to 6 pm
(The timing listed here are based on the local time zone)
