In each of the past four years, the Friday before July Fourth was the busiest travel day ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. If that trend continues this year, travelers should expect U.S. airports to be especially full on Friday, June 30.

While the user asked about 2023, the data for the 2026 Independence Day holiday indicates that the busiest travel day is projected to be Thursday, July 2, 2026. Because July 4th falls on a Saturday in 2026, many Americans are expected to take Friday, July 3rd as their "observed" federal holiday, creating a massive three-day weekend surge starting on Thursday afternoon. AAA and transportation data from INRIX suggest that travelers looking to avoid the worst traffic should depart before 10:00 AM on Thursday or wait until the morning of the 4th itself. For air travel, Wednesday, July 1st is expected to see the highest volume of departures as people fly out early to maximize their vacation time. In 2026, record-breaking travel numbers are anticipated, with over 75 million Americans expected to travel more than 50 miles from home. Consequently, airports will be at peak capacity and rental car availability will be extremely tight. For those returning, Sunday, July 5th is forecast to be the most congested day on the highways, as millions of families head back home simultaneously before the work week resumes on Monday.