THERE’S a great day trip in the US – but it might not be what you think.
With the Fourth of July holiday, millions of Americans are taking to the skies — and one day next week will be the busiest for air travel this year.
Safaris in the natural world revealed new data on the rising rate of travel in 2024, predicting that the busiest travel day ever is just around the corner.
They said July 4th is “generally the quietest travel day” during the holiday.
They said the last busiest day on record was Friday, May 24, 2023.
It was just before Memorial Day weekend and 2,951,163 passengers passed through US airports.
But this year, it is expected to be later.
CHOICE OF FORECAST
Sunday, July 7, is forecast to set a record for 2024.
There is usually an increase in air travel around the 4th of July, as it is a very popular holiday full of festivities.
This year, the holiday is on a Thursday, starting a four-day weekend.
Experts analyzed previous TSA data from 2019, when the Fourth of July last fell on a Thursday, and found that the Sunday following the holiday was the busiest day during this period.
They said “TSA screened 2,795,369 passengers, representing a 33.82% increase from July 4th to Sunday the 7th.”
POTENTIAL PASSENGERS
Will Bolsover, founder and CEO of Safaris in the natural worldprovided information about the results.
“Often, increased passenger numbers can lead to serious delays if airports are not properly prepared to handle such a large influx of travelers,” he said.
“This, coupled with the increase in the number of travelers heading off for summer holidays and a year of unprecedented storms, will make air travel even more difficult and unpredictable for travelers.”
Natural World Safaris experts said they “forecast a moderate increase in passenger numbers for July 7, 2024, compared to 2019.”
Considering these factors, they projected that TSA passenger numbers for July 7, 2024 “are in the range of approximately 2,934,137 to 3,074,906.”
That’s more than any other day close to the holidays.
Just like five years ago, July 7th could see around three million people traveling through American airports.
TRAVEL TIPS
Bolsover also offered tips on how travelers can better prepare in advance.
“I suggest you try to travel with just carry-on luggage if you can, as this will make your check-in experience much quicker,” he said.
Furthermore, he encouraged people to arrive at the airport much earlier than one might think.
“While it can be annoying to wait hours before your flight, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Arriving early will allow additional wait times for check-in and security,” he explained.
Bolsover also suggested monitoring the weather in advance and paying attention to the National Weather Service “to see if you are about to experience any travel interruptions.”
“It’s not just cold weather that can get in the way, but also storms, which are often caused by the influx of warm weather,” he said.
If you are aware of any potential problems in advance, you can easily figure out a solution.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
