AAA Sees Record July 4 Travel as TSA Braces for 2.9 Million Flyers Sunday

U.S. holiday travel is poised to hit fresh highs as Americans take to the skies and highways for the Independence Day break. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen about 2.9 million passengers on Sunday, July 6, which would mark the single-busiest day in its history. Nationally, AAA forecasts 5.84 million people will fly and a record 72.2 million will travel at least 50 miles between June 28 and July 6, with 61.6 million making the trip by car. Airports across the country are bracing for the crush. Seattle-Tacoma International anticipates nearly 900,000 passengers from Thursday through Monday, with 199,000 on July 6 alone. Chicago’s O’Hare expects 1.5 million travelers over a similar six-day span, while neighboring Midway projects 320,000. Tampa International forecasts 364,000 flyers, and Boston’s Logan says security lines are already lengthening as carriers prepare for record volumes. To manage the surge, the TSA says checkpoints are fully staffed and outfitted with new screening technology, and airports such as Sea-Tac have added lanes and expanded facilities. On the roads, analytics firm INRIX predicts the heaviest congestion on July 2 and July 6, advising motorists to depart in the morning to avoid afternoon backups. Despite increased demand, the national average price of regular gasoline sits at $3.16 a gallon, the cheapest Independence Day level since 2021. Travel experts urge passengers to arrive at airports at least two hours early for domestic flights, monitor parking availability and allow extra time for weather-related delays, particularly in storm-prone regions such as Florida.