The Best Days to Fly Around July Fourth

If your goal is avoiding airport crowds, consider flying out earlier or returning home later from your plans.

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Updated Apr 8, 2026

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Independence Day in 2026 falls on a Saturday, which could make this year’s July Fourth one of the busiest travel weekends ever.

Add in the fact that this July Fourth is the United States’ 250th anniversary, and airport crowds are expected to be no joke. Many cities — especially along the East Coast, like Boston, New York and Washington — are expected to throw lavish celebrations to commemorate the nation’s semiquincentennial (try saying that 10 times fast).

Smart travelers know there are a few tips that can make your July Fourth holiday travel less crowded. If you can be flexible with your travel schedule and fly out earlier or return home later, you could avoid peak airport chaos.

Here’s what you need to know to fly smarter over the Independence Day travel window in 2026 — and potentially save money on airfare.

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The best and worst days to fly over Fourth of July weekend in 2026

NerdWallet analyzed TSA data showing the number of passengers screened at its U.S. checkpoints to predict the best and worst days to fly for July Fourth. We focused on data from 2009, 2015 and 2020 — the last three years when July Fourth fell on a Saturday — and examined a 13-day period including the six days leading up to Independence Day, the holiday itself and the six days following it. Here's what you can expect in 2026.

The worst days to fly on or before the Fourth of July

Sunday, June 28: Traveling the Sunday before July Fourth weekend creates a perfect storm at airports, because two groups will head to the airport: people returning home from a typical weekend trip and those who took the week off work to maximize the holiday. In 2015, this was the busiest travel day on or before July Fourth.

Thursday, July 2: Because July Fourth falls on a Saturday, the federal holiday is instead recognized on Friday, so many workers will have that day off. Expect large crowds at the airport on Thursday, especially if you’re flying in the late afternoon or evening after work. This was the busiest travel day on or before July Fourth in 2020.

Friday, July 3: For those who couldn’t get out on Thursday, Friday will be the travel day to get to their destination. In 2009, Friday was the busiest travel day on or before July Fourth.

The worst days to fly after Fourth of July

Sunday, July 5: For post-holiday travel, the Sunday after Fourth of July ranks as the busiest day to fly. This holds true even in years when the holiday occurs midweek, such as in 2024. That year, the Sunday after the holiday, July 7, marked the first time more than 3 million people passed through TSA checkpoints in a single day. About 36% more people passed through airports on that day compared to the Fourth of July.

Friday, July 10: TSA data consistently shows that Fridays are typically the busiest day of the week year-round, so avoid flying home while others are heading off on their weekend adventures.

The best days to fly on or before Fourth of July

Saturday, July 4: Typically, Independence Day is the least busy day to fly in the entire 13-day period, according to TSA data. Most people will have arrived at their destination by then, especially if they don’t want to miss early BBQ festivities.

Tuesday, June 30: If you’d rather spend July Fourth celebrating — and not waiting in airport lines — turn to Tuesday. Of the dates we analyzed, this was behind only July Fourth for least crowded on average. In general, Tuesdays are also the least busy days on average at airports, according to NerdWallet’s analysis of TSA data.

The best days to fly after Fourth of July

Monday, July 6: By flying out the day after the holiday weekend, you’ll see significantly smaller crowds, although there will still be plenty of people at the airport. Interestingly, the exception to this was in 2020, where the Monday after was the busiest travel day after the holiday — likely in large part due to remote work during the pandemic.

Tuesday, July 7, and Wednesday, July 8: If you can hold out a day or two more, you’ll find significantly smaller crowds at the airport. Again, that mirrors general trends during non-holiday travel periods.

» Learn more: The cheapest U.S. cities for a July 4th getaway in 2026

Optimize your Fourth of July itinerary

Avoid the July Fourth crowds and save money by traveling during less-crowded times.

For longer trips, fly earlier in the week. If you want to extend your trip, consider leaving on Tuesday ahead of the holiday, rather than Thursday or Friday. For your return trip, try flying out on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday following the holiday long weekend.

Travel on July Fourth. Whether you’re arriving home or jetting off, flying early in the day on July Fourth might be a smart move. Early morning flights tend to face the least disruption, since your aircraft will have arrived at least the night prior.

Plus, a morning flight improves your odds of catching the fireworks at your final destination.

Sally French, a lead writer and spokesperson for NerdWallet, contributed reporting to this article.