The best and worst July 4th travel times in Philly

If you haven't finalized your travel plans for the 4th, do it stat.

Why it matters: More than 972,000 people in the Philly region will hit the road or skies around Independence Day, up 5% compared to last year, per AAA.

✈️ Fliers: The Philadelphia International Airport is forecasting a 26% bump in travelers over last year.

• The busiest day will be Wednesday the 3rd, followed by Saturday and Sunday.
• Pro tip: Check how long it'll take to get through security ahead of time on PHL's website . The TSA has seen the number of daily security screenings spike here since Memorial Day .

🚗 Drivers: People heading to the Poconos will see a 50% traffic increase around the holiday, per INRIX, a traffic analytics company.

• Congestion is expected to peak after the holiday at 8:30am on July 8 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

What they're saying: Jana Tidwell, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic, tells Axios she expects many travelers to extend their holiday over nine days — from this weekend through Sunday, July 7.

• "With remote-working flexibility for many people, this July 4th week will be the busiest ever," she said.

⛽ Regular gas prices in Philly are down from last year, averaging $3.52 a gallon for regular, per AAA.

Zoom in: The best day for minimal traffic is Monday, July 1. Here are the next best and worst times for driving, per INRIX and AAA:

Tuesday:

• Best: After 7pm
• Worst: 2-6pm

Wednesday:

• Best: Before noon
• Worst: 2-7pm

Thursday — July 4th:

• Best: Before noon
• Worst: 2-7pm

Friday:

• Best: Before 10am
• Worst: 11am-4pm

Saturday:

• Best: Before 10am
• Worst: 10:30am-2:30pm

Sunday:

• Best: Before 11am
• Worst: 2-8pm

Monday, 7/8:

• Best: After 7pm
• Worst: 1-5pm