4th of July travel – what to know

Despite travel chaos triggered by flight cancellations and huge gas prices this year, Americans still aim to take the usual 4th of July break, as demand is constantly increasing across the continent.

According to the American Automobile Association, almost 48 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles between June 30 and July 4, accounting for a 4 percent increase when compared to 2021. Similarly, the Federal Aviation Administration reports that air travel has considerably surged following the past two years of Covid-19 pandemic; 3.6 million Americans are expected to transit airports on the Independence Day.

“Earlier this year, we started seeing the demand for travel increase and it’s not tapering off. People are ready for a break and despite things costing more, they are finding ways to still take that much needed vacation”, commented Paula Twidale, AAA Travel senior vice president.

Road travel will see tremendous increase during the holiday weekend, despite gas prices reaching $4.81 this Monday and due to concerns about flight delays and cancellations.

“Travelling by car does provide a level of comfort and flexibility that people may be looking for given the recent challenges with flying. But not all destinations are within driving distance, which doesn’t mean you have to abandon your vacation plans. The best advice we can give travellers is to consider working with a travel agent who can help plan for the unexpected — like a flight cancellation”, Twidale added.

AAA advises 4th of July travellers to expect traffic jams, especially on Thursday and Friday.

“We expect nationwide travel times to increase about 50% compared to normal. Drivers around major metro areas must be prepared for significantly more delays. Knowing when and where congestion will build can help drivers avoid the stress of sitting in traffic. Our advice is to avoid travelling on Thursday and Friday afternoon”, explained Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX.

Traffic in New York City, Los Angeles and Seattle will see a 142%, 147% and 138% increase respectively.

On the other hand, airlines have repeatedly complained that the government is understaffing the FAA, so as a consequence traffic will be significantly “crippled” this year, as more than 2.800 flights have already been cancelled. Air travel has considerably surged following the past two years of Covid-19 pandemic, with 3.6 million Americans expected to transit airports on the Independence Day.

The Transportation Security Administration recommends travellers to arrive to the airport two to three hours in advance of their flights, in order to avoid chaos.

source: ny1.com