Record travel expected on the Fourth of July: when you should leave

The upcoming July 4th weekend will be a busy one for travelers and is expected to set new records, according to AAA.

Some 71 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more the week of July 4th -- about 3.5 million more than last year and an 8% increase over pre-pandemic numbers.

"With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day," Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel, said in a statement . "We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever with an additional 5.7 million people traveling compared to 2019."

A record 60.6 million people will travel by car -- that's an additional 2.8 million travelers compared to last year. The number of air travelers is also expected to set a new record. AAA projects 5.74 million people will fly to their July 4th destinations -- an increase of nearly 7% compared to last year.

Another 4.6 million people are expected to travel by other modes of transportation, including buses, cruises, and trains -- up 9% compared to last year.

To get the most out of your trip, you'll want to use some strategy -- and AAA suggests you start by looking at the anticipated traffic.

The busiest travel time will be on July 4th itself between 2pm and 7pm, according to INRIX, a global provider of transportation data and insights.

"Road trips over the holiday week could take up to 67% longer than normal," said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. "Drivers in large metro areas can expect the worst traffic delays on Wednesday, July 3rd, as they leave town, and Sunday, July 7th, as they return."

Best times to drive:
• Monday, Jul 1: Minimal traffic impact expected
• Tuesday, Jul 2: After 7 PM
• Wednesday, Jul 3: Before Noon
• Thursday, Jul 4: Before Noon
• Friday, Jul 5: Before 10 AM
• Saturday, Jul 6: Before 10 AM
• Sunday, Jul 7: Before 11 AM
• Monday, Jul 8: After 7 PM

Worst times to drive:
• Tuesday, Jul 2: Between 2 – 6 PM
• Wednesday, Jul 3: Between 2 – 7 PM
• Thursday, Jul 4: Between 2 – 7 PM
• Friday, Jul 5: Between 11 AM – 4 PM
• Saturday, Jul 6: Between 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
• Sunday, Jul 7: Between 2 – 8 PM
• Monday, Jul 8: Between 1 – 5 PM

The Independence Day holiday travel period is defined as the nine-day period from Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, July 7. AAA noted that this is the first year the travel period is a longer timeframe with two weekends included. Historically, it only included one weekend.