Smoother travel expected as people return from July 4 trips

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A projected 43.2 million drove to their Independence Day destinations this year, while a record 2.9 million people flew the Friday before the Fourth.
Congestion and flight cancellations and delays made things difficult for some travelers.
“July Fourth travelers in 2023 can feel confident that a July 5 flight itinerary will afford them cheaper airfare plus less congested airport queues,” NerdWallet wrote.
(NewsNation) — There’s good news for people returning from their July Fourth holiday — the trip home likely will be smoother than it was getting there.
A projected 43.2 million drove to their Independence Day destinations, according to AAA, while a record 2.9 million people flew the Friday before the Fourth, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines told NewsNation the company estimates it will fly about 3.2 million people from June 30 through July 5, or about 530,000 passengers per day. That’s 10 percent more than Delta flew during the same period in 2022.
Still, according to NerdWallet, Wednesday wasn’t expected to be a particularly busy travel day.
Transportation Security Administration data compiled by NerdWallet shows the day after the Fourth of July has been a consistently light travel day.
“July Fourth travelers in 2023 can feel confident that a July 5 flight itinerary will afford them cheaper airfare plus less congested airport queues,” NerdWallet wrote.
For those driving, there are some definite times to hit the road if you want to get to your destination faster.
AAA recommends driving before 2 p.m. Wednesday to get the best travel time. Drivers should avoid heavily traveled areas from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, though, according to AAA.
It will also be important to keep an eye on the weather before you take off, whether you’re driving or flying.
Severe weather resulted in more drastic numbers of flight delays and cancellations last week.
The National Weather Service is predicting in its short-range forecast from Wednesday to Friday strong to severe thunderstorms in the Northern/Central Plains and into the Midwest. Heavy to excessive rainfall could lead to flash flooding in that area, along with the Northeast, as well.
If things go wrong, though, there are options for people.
As people return, travel expert Sandra McLemore says they need to advocate for themselves.
Although airlines tend to say the weather is something they cannot control, companies can help people who have been delayed because of it, she said on “NewsNation Live.”
“(Airlines have) got to be able to work with people better,” McLemore said. “If you were stuck last week, or you’re stuck these holidays, the first thing you’ll want to do is to make sure that you note down in your phone or on paper the time that you were meant to leave, the delays that happened and how often you were alerted about the delays and the announcements and what time you actually took off.”
Then, McLemore says, it’s time to go to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s website.
“It will walk you through exactly what you are entitled to,” she said.
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