July 4th Traffic: When Is The Best Time To Get Out Of Chicago?

CHICAGO — If you’re among millions of Americans who plan to travel somewhere else for the 4th of July, be prepared for disruption. If you’re driving, avoid peak traffic times in Chicago to remove a layer of stress in what the AAA predicts will be record-breaking Independence Day weekend travel this year.

The auto club predicts 50.7 million Americans, 2.1 million more than last year, will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday weekend, surpassing the previous 4th of July weekend record of 49 million travelers set in 2019.

About 43.2 million people will travel by car, an increase of 2.4 percent over 2022 and 4 percent higher than in 2019, according to AAA. Air travel is expected to set a new record of 4.17 million people flying to their destinations, up 11.2 percent from 2022 and 6.6 from 2019, when the previous record was set.

If you can, avoid Chicago to Indianapolis via I-65 S during the peak congestion period of 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, for five hours and 30 minutes, according to INRIX, AAA’s data partner in the forecast. That marks a 33 percent increase compared to typical travel time.

If you’re driving, avoid Friday if you can. AAA says June 30 will be the busiest day on the roads, with travel times up nearly 30 percent in the most congested areas, including major metros like Boston, Seattle and Washington, D.C.

If you must travel Friday, try to get on the road in the morning or after 6 p.m. In general, the best and worst travel times are:

• Thursday: Worst time, 4-6 p.m.; best time, before noon.
• Friday: Worst time, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; best time, before 10 a.m., after 6 p.m.
• Saturday: Worst time, 1 p.m.; best time, before noon.
• Sunday: Minimal traffic impact expected.
• Monday: Minimal traffic impact expected.
• Tuesday: Worst time, 12-3 p.m.; best time, before 11 a.m., after 6 p.m.
• Wednesday: Worst time, 3-6 p.m.; best time, before 2 p.m.

If you’re traveling by air, check the status of your flight on FlightAware.com, as airports brace for travel nearly equal to pre-pandemic levels.

The Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday it has brought on additional staff to prevent security screening backups. On Friday alone, the TSA expects to conduct nearly 3 million screenings, surpassing pre-pandemic numbers in 2019.

“TSA is staffed and ready for the increasing travel volumes during this holiday travel period with the technologies and resources for improved security effectiveness, efficiency and passenger experience at security checkpoints,” David Pekoske, the agency’s administrator, said in a news release.

The peak summer travel period is off to a rocky start. Thousands of air travelers saw their flights delayed or cancelled this weekend and Monday as thunderstorms rolled in across the Midwest and U.S. East Coast, and technology failures contributed to airline disruptions, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. FAA briefly paused operations at Washington, D.C.-area airports Sunday evening due to a problem with the communications system at a major air traffic control facility.

If your flight is canceled, most airlines will rebook it for free on the next available flight as long as it has seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

If you want to cancel the trip entirely, you’re entitled to a full refund, even if you bought non-refundable tickets. You’re also entitled to a refund of any bag fees, seat upgrades or other extras.

And although airlines aren’t required to put you on another airline’s flight, they can, and sometimes do. Also, although they are currently not required to do so, some airlines offer hotel rooms and other accommodations if passengers find themselves stranded for reasons that are within the airline’s control.

The DOT also has an online dashboard that allows travelers to compare cancellation and delay policies of major carriers.

Flight cancellations trended lower throughout the spring of 2023 than last year, according to data from the FAA. Last year, some 52,000 flights were canceled from June through August. Airlines have hired about 30,000 workers since then, including thousands of pilots, and they are using bigger planes to reduce flights but not the number of seats.

Still, officials warn of lingering staffing shortages, notably among key air traffic controllers. The agency resorted to nudging airlines to reduce flights in the New York City area this summer, and it opened 169 new flight paths over the East Coast to reduce bottlenecks.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.