Tips for Smoother 4th of July Holiday Travel

With the Fourth of July holiday approaching, predictions say it is set to be the busiest Independence Day weekend travel in history. Inside Edition has some tips on where to find the best travel deals.

Travel expert Pauline Frommer, co-president of Frommer’s Guide Books and Frommers.com, says you can generally find the lowest rates on the first flight of the day. “That’s actually a smart time to fly because there won’t be as many storms delaying people. Believe it or not, there are more storms in summer than in winter,” Frommer says.

Airline travel is up by more than five percent compared to last year. TSA expects Friday to be the peak travel day.

“The airports are going to be crazy. Do not check luggage if you can avoid it because there’s going to be much more luggage getting from point A to point B, so much more luggage will be lost,” Frommer says.

You can also download the MyTSA app to get estimated wait times at TSA.

If you are taking a road trip, expect heavy traffic.

“60.6 million people will be driving over the Fourth of July weekend. That is a new record,” Frommer says. “The worst time to drive is in the afternoons anytime the week of July 4th.”

It is also important to make sure your car can hold up in the heat.

“You have to prepare your car for hot weather. Remember that heat degrades the rubber, so lift up the hood, take a look, see if the rubber parts of your engine are cracked or buckled or anything, if so, take it into the shop,” Frommer says. “You also want to test your air conditioning before you hit the road. Do a test run, see if your air conditioner is working well.”

Millions of people will be picking up a rental car this weekend. The busiest days for rental pickup will be June 28, June 29, and July 3.

“When picking up a rental car at any time, take photos with the timestamp because you don’t want to be charged for dings and dents that you didn’t create,” Frommer says.

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