Traveling for July 4? Pack your patience

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AAA projects some 50.7 million people will be on the move in some form or fashion this holiday weekend—that’s 2.1 million more than last year and just under 2 million more than 2019, the previous record.

AAA forecasts 43.2 million people will travel by auto before the holiday is over, with 4.17 million traveling by air and 3.36 million by other modes of transportation.

While the problems with airlines and excessive delays and cancelations of late have been widely reported, if you’re hoping to save time by driving today … well, we’ve got some bad news.

Friday, June 30^th, is expected to be the worst travel day, with heavier than normal volumes from 10:00am to 5:00 p.m. (People who do hit the road this evening could be a bit better off. )

If you’re driving out Saturday, AAA advises leaving before noon to avoid the worst of things.

And for your return home: July 5 will see the heaviest congestion between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. To avoid backups, it’s best to travel before 2:00 p.m.

Traffic jam intensity will vary by city, of course, but some areas can expect to see increases of more than 80%. Traffic apps, local DOT notifications, and 511 services will be key to minimizing holiday travel traffic frustrations.

“We’ve never projected travel numbers this high for Independence Day weekend,” said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. “What this tells us is that despite inventory being limited and some prices 50% higher, consumers are not cutting back on travel this summer.”