Record 4th Of July Travel Predicted: When To Get Out Of Town In IL

AAA is projecting a record 60.6 million people will travel by car during Independence Day week, 2.8 million more than last year.

Jun 25, 2024 11:30 am CDT

ILLINOIS — Independence Day celebrants in Illinois are expected to join a record 70.9 million Americans who plan to travel 50 miles or more from home over the extended 4th of July holiday period, AAA projects.

For the first time, the travel group looked at the entire 4th of July week, bookended by the Saturday before the holiday and the Sunday after. Travel is expected to be 5 percent higher this year than last, and 8 percent higher than in 2019.

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The 2024 Independence Day travel period is expected to be the busiest ever, with 5.7 million more people traveling than in 2019, the last year before the pandemic, Paula Twidale, AAA Travel’s senior vice president, said in a news release.

The group projects a record 60.6 million people will travel by car during Independence Day week, 2.8 million more than last year. Air travel is also expected to set a new record, with 5.74 million people flying to their destinations, a 12 percent increase over 2019.

If you run into any issues while driving in Illinois during the holiday, there are 39 AAA locations sprinkled across the state.

Fourth of July travelers whose route takes them through Chicago should avoid peak congestion times on major highways, according to transportation data provider Inrix.

For example, Chicago to Indianapolis via I-65 S, will have peak congestion at 2:45 p.m. July 3. The expected travel time will be 4 hours and 59 minutes, which is a 61 percent increase compared to the typical time it would take.

Gas prices are lower than at this time last year, when Illinois’ average was $3.98, and AAA expects them to continue to go down leading into Independence Day. The statewide average on Tuesday was $3.86.

Domestic airfare is about 2 percent lower than last year, and the average price for a roundtrip ticket is $800. Airports are expected to be packed throughout the travel period. AAA recommends reserving airport parking ahead of time, getting there two hours early, and traveling only with carry-on luggage to save both time and money.

Here are the worst and best times to travel by car (all times local), according to Inrix:

• Tuesday, July 2: 2-6 p.m. (worst time); after 7 pm. (best time)
• Wednesday, July 3: 2-7 p.m. (worst time); before noon (best time)
• Thursday, July 4: 2-7 p.m. (worst time); before noon (best time)
• Friday, July 5: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (worst time); before 10 a.m. (best time)
• Saturday, July 6: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. (worst time); before 10 a.m. (best time)
• Sunday, July 7: 2-8 p.m. (worst time); before 11 a.m. (best time)
• Monday, July 8: 1-5 p.m. (worst time); after 7 p.m. (best time)