Traveling for the Fourth of July Will Be a Sweaty, Gnarly Mess

This summer is predicted to be one of the busiest ever for travel—and the busiest weekend in the busiest summer will almost certainly be during the Fourth of July travel weekend. Both AAA and TSA have already cautioned travelers about the crowded airports and roads.

“TSA nationally expects to screen more than 28 million people between Friday, June 28 through Monday, July 8,” a TSA press release stated. “This is a 5.4% increase over 2023 Independence Day holiday travel volumes.”

On the roads, it won’t be much better. “With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a statement. “We anticipate this Fourth of July weekend will be the busiest ever with an additional 5.7 million people traveling compared to 2019.”

But it won’t just be a crowded week for travel. It’s going to be very hot across the country. According to Accuweather, a good chunk of the country will be experiencing temperatures between five and 10 degrees higher than the historical average, with some areas experiencing heat 15 degrees above the historical average.

A weather forecast shows that most of the country will experience temperatures between 90 to 110 degrees on the Fourth of July.

So not only will you be encountering traffic, long security lines, and busy counters—but you’ll also be doing so with sweat dripping down your forehead and everyone’s patience running thin. Fortunately, you’ve got information to help you navigate short tempers, high temperatures, and historically busy roads and airports. Here is some of the top information you need to know to help you navigate this week’s travel chaos.