How to prepare for July Fourth travel in San Antonio
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If you're leaving San Antonio for July Fourth, be prepared for traffic congestion and delays.
Why it matters: We all want to enjoy the holiday with the fewest headaches possible.
The big picture: The last year has been record-setting for San Antonio International Airport.
- The city has broken records for airport passengers every month since May 2023.
By the numbers: Nearly 300,000 passengers are expected to travel in and out of San Antonio International Airport between last Saturday and this Sunday, July 7, per airport officials.
What they're saying: "Arriving early at SAT is key this summer," Jesus Saenz, director of airports, said in a statement. "By getting here early, you will have time to navigate through check-in, security and the terminals."
- Airport officials recommend arriving at least two hours before boarding time for domestic flights.
Texans are also expected to hit the roads this week.
- Driving on Interstate 10 between San Antonio and Houston will be busiest at about 1:30pm Saturday, and could take nearly four hours, per INRIX, which provides transportation data.
Zoom out: Nationally, nearly 71 million people are expected to travel during the holiday week, per AAA.
- That means some 5.7 million more people will be traveling during the holiday period this year compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, making for heavy traffic volumes on the roads and at airports.
The bottom line: "With summer vacations in full swing and the flexibility of remote work, more Americans are taking extended trips around Independence Day," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, in a statement.
- "We anticipate this July 4th week will be the busiest ever," she said.