The best and worst July 4 travel times in Philly
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If you haven't finalized your travel plans for the 4th, do it stat.
Why it matters: More than 972,000 people in the Philly region will hit the road or skies around Independence Day, up 5% compared to last year, per AAA.
✈️ Fliers: The Philadelphia International Airport is forecasting a 26% hike in travelers over last year.
- The busiest day will be Wednesday the 3rd, followed by Saturday and Sunday.
- Pro tip: Check how long it'll take to get through security ahead of time on PHL's website. The TSA has seen the number of daily security screenings spike here since Memorial Day.
🚗 Drivers: People heading to the Poconos will see a 50% traffic increase around the holiday, per INRIX, a traffic analytics company.
- Congestion is expected to peak after the holiday at 8:30am on July 8 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
What they're saying: Jana Tidwell, spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic, tells Axios she expects many travelers to extend their holiday over nine days — from this weekend through Sunday, July 7.
- "With remote-working flexibility for many people, this July 4th week will be the busiest ever," she said.
⛽ Regular gas prices in Philly are down from last year, averaging $3.52 a gallon for regular, per AAA.
Zoom in: The best day for minimal traffic is Monday, July 1. Here are the next best and worst times for driving, per INRIX and AAA:
Tuesday:
- Best: After 7pm
- Worst: 2-6pm
Wednesday:
- Best: Before noon
- Worst: 2-7pm
Thursday — July 4:
- Best: Before noon
- Worst: 2-7pm
Friday:
- Best: Before 10am
- Worst: 11am-4pm
Saturday:
- Best: Before 10am
- Worst: 10:30am-2:30pm
Sunday:
- Best: Before 11am
- Worst: 2-8pm
Monday, July 8:
- Best: After 7pm
- Worst: 1-5pm