Claudia PassarellJun 28, 2025 4 min read

Travel Tips: Best and Worst Times to Travel for July 4th

If you're heading out for the Fourth of July this year, brace yourself— 2025 is shaping up to be the busiest Independence Day travel week on record. According to AAA, more than 72 million Americans are expected to travel for the holiday, with over 61 million hitting the road and nearly 6 million taking to the skies.

Whether you're driving or flying, timing will make or break your trip. Here's when to leave (and when to absolutely stay put) if you want to avoid gridlock, TSA nightmares, and hours of wasted time.

Worst Times to Drive

Let's start with the outbound rush:

Wednesday, July 2, is expected to be the single worst day to drive before the Fourth, especially from noon to 9 pm.

Why? Everyone's trying to get out of town at the same time, right after work and right before the holiday starts.

Sunday, July 6, will bring brutal return-trip traffic, with congestion building from midday through the evening, especially near major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, New York City, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Chicago.

Best Times to Drive

The golden rule this year: Leave early to stay ahead of the crowds.

For outbound trips, the best bet is to hit the road before 10 am on Wednesday, July 2, or even better, leave on Tuesday, July 1, if you can swing it.

For the drive home, your safest windows are:

Saturday, July 5 (early morning)
Sunday, July 6 (before 10 am)

And remember, Sunday afternoon and evening (July 6) will be a disaster on the roads. Plan accordingly.

Flying? Here's When (and When Not) to Go

Airports are bracing for record crowds this year, with the TSA expecting to screen over 18.5 million passengers between July 1 and July 7.

The two worst days to fly are:

Thursday, July 3 (pre-holiday rush)
Sunday, July 6 (when everyone's coming home)

If you're flying on these dates, it's best to arrive at the airport at least two hours early for domestic flights (three hours for international flights) and expect long TSA lines.

To avoid the chaos, consider flying on Friday, July 4, or Saturday, July 5, when airport crowds are expected to be noticeably lighter.

Daily Timing Matters Too

Whether you're driving or flying, early morning travel is your best friend.

For flights, book departures before 9 am to dodge the ripple effect of afternoon delays.

For road trips, aim to leave before 10 am or after 8 pm if you can tolerate nighttime driving.

Cities with the Worst Traffic

According to INRIX, these cities are July 4th traffic hotspots:

Los Angeles (I-5 South and I-15 from Vegas)
New York City (all major arteries and bridges)
Atlanta (I-20 and I-75/I-85 corridors)
Washington D.C.
Boston
Chicago
Seattle

If you're traveling through or around these metro areas, allow extra time and check traffic apps before you leave.

Extra Travel Tips for 2025

Gas Prices: Good news! Average prices are hovering around $3.20 per gallon, making this one of the cheapest July 4th driving seasons in years.
Air Travel Capacity: Airlines have increased flights by 4% compared to last year, but planes are still expected to be full, so don't count on easy last-minute seat changes.
TSA Screening: Sunday, July 6, is expected to see nearly 3 million people traveling by air, making it one of the busiest days for TSA screening ever.

Pro Tip: If you're flying, pack light, use mobile boarding passes, and double-check your ID (REAL ID enforcement is in effect at many checkpoints).