2024 July 4th Travel Outlook

Americans are gearing up for a 4th of July weekend packed with travel! 24 million seats are expected to depart from US airports over the 4th of July weekend, a 7% increase from this time last year. That’s about 1.6 million more potential passengers departing from airports across the country. 

Wednesday, July 3rd will be the busiest day to depart with 3.5 million seats scheduled to depart from US airports ahead of the holiday, while Sunday and Monday will be the busiest to return with over 3.7 million seats scheduled to bring passengers home from trips.

Atlanta, Dallas Fort-Worth and Denver will be the busiest airports over the holiday week, expecting more than a million seats to depart. Mornings will be busy at most major airports, though travelers from JFK and O’Hare should plan on longer lines and crowds in the early evening. 

Airfares

Domestic airfare for 4th of July weekend is down -18% from last year, averaging $263 per ticket.

To get the best deal on airfare over the long weekend, book a trip starting on Thursday, July 4th and returning Tuesday of the following week. This will save travelers an average of 32% or about $121 per ticket compared to the more popular Wednesday to Sunday trip. 

International travelers are feeling price relief this summer as well, with airfare to Europe down 37% from the same weekend last summer. Fares to Canada and the Caribbean are under $500 per round-trip ticket for travelers grabbing their passports, while trips to Europe are averaging over $900 per round-trip ticket.

Accommodations

Hotel rates for 4th of July weekend are averaging $232 per night while vacation rentals are averaging about $400 per night ($200 per room per night). Holiday weekends like 4th of July are a great opportunity to score last minute hotel deals, especially in cities that empty out for the weekend. If you’re looking to have a staycation, book at the last minute (within 24 hrs of check in) to get the lowest hotel prices! 

Rental Cars

For travelers planning a road trip- good news! Not only are highway gas prices down nearly 17% compared to last year, rental car rates have remained stable year over year at $48 per day nationally. Most travelers are booking 5 day rentals, compared to 4 day rentals last year, showing a desire to stretch the holiday through the long weekend. 

Most Searched Destinations

Americans are hitting the skies to visit major US cities over the holiday weekend, including New York City, Seattle and Los Angeles. International travelers are headed to European favorites like London and Paris, while some adventurous travelers are headed onto Tokyo! 

Late to planning something for the upcoming holiday weekend? Good news! There are still some great deals available for July 4th. It may just require being flexible on your dates and destination to score a last-minute bargain. On Hopper, we are seeing deals under $100 to places domestically like Charleston, Nashville and Denver and flights abroad for under $600 to destinations like Reykjavik, Iceland, Copenhagen, Denmark and Dublin, Ireland.

How to score a last-minute deal?

• Look for last-minute flight deals - With airfares down compared to last summer, there are some deals domestically that are still available to book for the holiday weekend. If you're flexible on departure dates and destination, you might still be able to snag a great last-minute deal. We are seeing deals under $100 to places like Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Denver and more on the Hopper app. But book soon, before prices rise as we get closer to the July 4th holiday!

• Book a staycation - If you haven't made plans yet, you might consider a staycation in a nearby city. Many hotels offer special geo-fenced rates to local guests, so you can find some of the best last-minute hotel deals right in your area.

• Check for last-minute hotel deals in big cities - Hotel prices in major cities like NYC and Las Vegas typically drop prices closer to check-in date. Travelers can often find last-minute deals over holiday weekends in big U.S cities.

Last-minute flight deals still available to book for July 4th

Domestic:

• New York City, New York to Charleston, South Carolina for as low as $80 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to Nashville, Tennessee for as low as $82 round-trip on Hopper

• Boston, Massachusetts to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for as low as $103 round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago, Illinois to Denver, Colorado for as low as $75 round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago, Illinois to Portland, Maine for as low as $100 round-trip on Hopper

• Dallas, Texas to Las Vegas, Nevada for as low as $115 round-trip on Hopper

• Los Angeles, California to Salt Lake City, Utah for as low as $100 round-trip on Hopper

• Los Angeles, California to Denver, Colorado for as low as $120 round-trip on Hopper

International:

• Boston, Massachusetts to Reykjavik, Iceland for as low as $577 round-trip on Hopper

• Boston, Massachusetts to Dublin, Ireland for as low as $591 round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago, Illinois to Stockholm, Sweden for as low as $541 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to Reykjavik, Iceland for as low as $508 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to Copenhagen, Denmark for as low as $582 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to Dublin, Ireland for as low as $586 round-trip on Hopper

• New York City, New York to Barcelona, Spain for as low as $620 round-trip on Hopper

Ways to prepare for potential disruptions ahead of the busy July 4th travel weekend:

1. Take the first flight of the day - Getting out first thing in the morning is the safest bet, if you want to avoid delays and cancellations. Flights departing after 9am are 2X more likely to be delayed than departures scheduled between 5-8am. To avoid travel disruption, fly as early in the morning as possible – especially during the busy summer months.

2. Always have a disruption plan - Summer is the busiest time of the year to fly and July 4th is one of the most popular travel weekends of the season. Last year we saw a 60% increase in delays and cancellations between May and July. Getting ahead of delays and cancellations starts when booking your trip! Add a Disruption Assistance plan when you book a flight so that if you are disrupted, you have a real time solution to help rebook on any airline or get a full refund. Hopper and other providers offer Disruption Assistance, which allows you to immediately rebook your flight no matter the carrier if your trip is delayed or canceled on the day of travel. 

3. Know what options you have available - Before heading out, check if there are other flights headed to your destination the same day in case you’re disrupted. You are your best advocate when it comes to getting rebooked! 

4. Sign up for alerts & check flight status before you go to the airport - You’ll want to know about delays and cancellations as early as possible. On most U.S. carriers, passengers can sign up for text, email, and/or in-app notifications about any changes to their itinerary including delay and cancellations. Travelers using the Hopper app are also notified as soon as we are aware of any disruptions. Always check your flight status before heading to the airport so you know about delays ahead of time.

What to do if you’re delayed or canceled over the holiday weekend?

• Contact the airline/customer service - Head to the airline ticket agents’ counter ASAP. Pro tip: multi-task! Call the airline call center while you’re waiting in line.

• If you’re already at the airport, find a self-serve kiosk at the airport - Some airlines offer self-serve kiosks right in the airport. Scan your boarding pass/enter your trip details and you may be able to rebook yourself on a new flight and print a new boarding pass right from there. 

• Make changes online or on the airline’s app - Many carriers allow you to find a new flight and rebook directly on their website or in the app.