Air travel may be a mess right now, but according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), people driving to their Fourth of July destination should be prepared for at least some traffic, during what the agency predicts will be a record-breaking long weekend.
During the five-day period from Friday, June 30 to Tuesday, July 4, AAA projects 50.7 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home—surpassing the previous Independence Day weekend record, when 49 million people took a Fourth of July trip in 2019.
While you may not be able to avoid traffic completely, you can decrease your chances of getting stuck in it by traveling at certain times throughout the weekend. Here’s what to know.
The best and worst times to drive Fourth of July weekend
Using data from INRIX, a firm providing transportation insights, experts at AAA have determined that these are the best and worst times to hit the road this Fourth of July weekend:
Saturday, July 1
- Worst time: 1 p.m.
- Best time: Before 12 p.m.
Sunday, July 2
- Minimal traffic impact expected
Monday, July 3
- Minimal traffic impact expected
Tuesday, July 4
- Worst time: 12—3 p.m.
- Best time: Before 11 a.m.; after 6 p.m.
Wednesday, July 5
- Worst time: 3—6 p.m.
- Best time: Before 2 p.m.
In other words, if you plan to drive somewhere long-distance today, your best bet is to embark on your trip in the next few hours. AAA also has advice for avoiding peak congestion in a handful of U.S. metropolitan areas.
“We’ve never projected travel numbers this high for Independence Day weekend,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel said in a statement. “What this tells us is that despite inventory being limited and some prices 50% higher, consumers are not cutting back on travel this summer. Many of them heeded our advice and booked early, another sign of strong travel demand.”
