What's the Best Air Travel Day for Fourth of July?

If you’re traveling by air over the 4th of July, don’t fly on Friday, July 3. Fridays in the summer are notoriously congested in the nation’s airports, the U.S. Travel Association says. (Photo via Flickr)

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If you’re one of the 3.2 million Americans who plan to travel by air over the long Independence Day holiday, you may want to sneak out of the office a little early on Thursday, July 2.

Travelers figured out that the Thursday before a weekend holiday was the best time to fly, but now the secret’s out, the trick is beating the crowd to the airport, said Jamie Morris, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Travel Association.

“If you leave at 5 o’clock at the end of the work day, everyone is going to be doing that,” Morris said. “If you can, sneak out in the morning or early afternoon.”

Or, if your plans accommodate it, consider flying on Saturday, the Fourth of July, suggested Julie Hall, a spokeswoman for AAA, which released its holiday travel forecast Thursday.

“Typically, traveling on the exact day of the holiday tends to be a little quieter,” Hall said.

If you can manage it, avoid flying on Friday, July 3. Morris said her group’s research shows that Fridays in the summer months of June, July and August are the busiest travel days of the year, especially as more employers offer flexible work schedules that give their workers three-day weekends.

The number of Americans who plan to fly their July 4 destinations is up 1.5 percent over last year. Travelers should get to the airport at least a couple of hours early to allow ample time to get through security before their flights leave, Hall said.

Air travelers may also pay more. Average airfares for the top 40 domestic flight routes are 6 percent higher this Independence Day, climbing to $227, AAA said.

Gas Prices Down, Hotels Costs Up

More than 41.9 million Americans plan to travel 50 miles or more from home this Independence Day, the most since 2007 and a 0.7 percent increase from the 41.6 million people who traveled last year, AAA said. The Independence Day holiday travel period is defined as Wednesday, July 1, to Sunday, July 5.

The increase in travel is primarily due to rising income, a strong job market and fuel prices that, though showing seasonal increases, are lower than last year, AAA President Marshall L. Doney said in a statement.

Independence Day gas prices are expected to be the lowest in five years. Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.78, 88 cents less than the average price on Independence Day last year, AAA said.

That’s good news for the 35.5 million travelers who plan a Fourth of July road trip, and the lower gas prices may offset increases in lodging once travelers reach their destination.

According to AAA’s Leisure Travel index, the average nightly stay in a Two Diamond hotel costs about 6 percent more this year than last at an average cost of $145, while Three Diamond hotels cost 9 percent more, averaging $195.