Fourth of July travel: What to know in 2024, with record crowds expected

25.06.2024 - 17:57 / thepointsguy.com

This summer is already off to a record-breaking start, and one of the season's biggest travel periods is still upon us: Fourth of July just days away.

More than 70 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles over the Independence Day rush, according to AAA. That's a 5% jump from last year and an 8% spike over 2019.

That will certainly mean busy airports, though that's been the norm this summer anyway. Seven of the 10 busiest days ever at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints have occurred since Memorial Day weekend.

That includes the five busiest days ever at U.S. airports — with an all-time record on Sunday, June 23.

Expect these crowds throughout your holiday travels. Whether you're visiting a theme park in Orlando or a popular site in Europe, you'll likely find packed airport parking lots, busy security checkpoints and lots of tourists at attractions.

Yet, there's plenty of reason to be optimistic this summer holiday season, too.

Unlike 2022 and 2023, it's a lot easier to find a good deal on airfare, and there are plenty of chances to score a great mileage redemption while you're at it.

Plus, those meltdowns that made air travel such a headache in 2022 are largely behind airlines, with cancellation rates far better than this time two years ago.

Here's what to know whether you're still booking that Fourth of July getaway or already starting to turn your eyes to packing.

Unlike Memorial Day, which always falls on the same day of the week, predicting the busiest travel day for Fourth of July is a bit trickier.

Last year, the holiday fell on a Tuesday, and the Friday before the Fourth (June 30) proved to be the busiest day of the rush. A whopping 2.8 million passengers passed through TSA checkpoints that day. At the time, that was a single-day record, but it has since been topped seven times — including twice just in the past week.

This year, Fourth of July falls on a Thursday.

Looking at the travel projections, I'm reminded a bit of the pattern we typically see around Thanksgiving, which, of course, always falls on a Thursday itself.

It looks like there will be a sizable early rush of travelers getting a headstart on their travels, perhaps turning the entire week into a getaway.

The world's busiest airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), expects this Friday, June 28, to be among its busiest days of the travel rush. 367,000 passengers are expected to pass through ATL that day, airport leaders shared Monday.

For its part, United Airlines predicts Saturday, June 29, will be among its busiest days in terms of volume.

Altogether, the carrier expects its busiest Fourth of July on record, with plans to fly more than 5 million customers between June 28 and July 8 — up