What to know if you’re traveling during busy 4th of July Weekend
The long holiday weekend is expected to see millions of travelers in the skies or on the roads.
AAA projects 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this Independence Day weekend, setting a new record for the holiday.
This comes as thousands of travelers nationwide faced delays and cancellations all week long due to weather conditions and staff shortages.
According to FlightAware, more than 7,000 flights have been delayed throughout the U.S. and around 430 canceled on Friday.
Fortunately, the Palm Springs International Airport isn't seeing too many of those problems.
At PSP, two Southwest flights have been delayed (one arriving and one departing).
On Friday, it was mostly smooth sailing for travelers leaving and arriving in Palm Springs.
“We got there early in the morning, but it was easy.No traffic, no delay. I mean we got through security everything boom, boom boom. Really easy," said Palm Springs residents John Cannon and Cary Frank.
Traveling back from Florida, the two of them tell us flights were packed, but not unreasonable.
“We flew through Dallas. It was pretty packed both airplanes, as well as the airport. But they were both easy to get around," Cannon said.
While Cannon and Frank lucked out on their trip, they were prepared for it to be much worse.
“This being the start of a big 4th of July weekend, we were like oh no, this is going to be a very busy weekend.”
IN THE SKIES
More than 2.8 million travelers are expected to pass through airport security checkpoints on Friday, a single-day record, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
However, thousands have been left stranded or waiting for delayed flights this week.
Tips from experts to avoid travel woes:
- Fly early in the day. This is generally when airlines experience the fewest disruptions; if there is one, passengers would likely have ample flight alternatives during the remainder of the day, depending on the route and carrier.
- Try to avoid a connecting flight. Taking two flights instead of one doubles your odds of a disruption.
- Choose an airline with multiple flights per day to your location, if possible. If a disruption occurs, there are more chances to get on another flight.
- Check if your credit card offers a payout for flight delays and cancellations. If it does, and you purchased your travel with that card, you may be entitled to certain benefits.
ON THE ROADS
This July 4th weekend is expected to set a new record for the number of Americans traveling by car for the holiday. AAA expects 43.2 million people will drive to their destinations, an increase of 2.4% over 2022 and 4% higher than 2019.
AAA says best times to hit the roads are early morning or evenings:
| Best and Worst Times to Travel by Car | ||
| Date | Worst Travel Time | Best Travel Time |
| Thu, June 29 | 4:00 – 6:00 PM | Before 12:00 PM |
| Fri, June 30 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM | Before 10:00 AM, After 6:00 PM |
| Sat, July 1 | 1:00 PM | Before 12:00 PM |
| Sun, July 2 | Minimal Traffic Impact Expected | |
| Mon, July 3 | Minimal Traffic Impact Expected | |
| Tue, July 4 | 12:00 – 3:00 PM | Before 11:00 AM, After 6:00 PM |
| Wed, July 5 | 3:00 – 6:00 PM | Before 2:00 PM |
