My Tips For Traveling During The 4th Of July In The USA

Intro

Frequent flyers hate it, but we all have to do it. Traveling on the 4th of July is an absolute madhouse around most of the United States. With people flocking to all regions of America and around the world, lines get backed up, and your will to live goes out the window. With that being said, here are some official things you should know, and then my actual tips of what to do...

Official Stuff To Know

Probably, and most importantly, make sure you have your Real ID on you when you travel. As of May 7th, travelers must present a form of a Real ID when flying, even domestically, or will be subject to additional verification.

Ordinarily, it might take 5-10 minutes, but during this period of time, it can take a LOT longer. Even if you have Clear or TSA pre-check, I would allow at least an extra 5-10 minutes in your schedule.

Unless you are using dedicated check-ins such as Flagship First, Delta One, or the Global Services check-in.

My Advice

Sure, I could recite the same things that get told online by almost any other blogger, but if you want my advice, here it is:

• If you are in an airport with multiple screening checkpoints and see one backed up to the brim, head to the next one. As an example, Terminal 6 at LAX is a joke, but if you walk 5 minutes to Terminal 7, you can get through in minutes.

• If possible, go in a line where there are fewer families. It takes much less time to clear security when you are in a line with predominantly solo travelers.

• If you can, pay for an upgrade (if it is reasonable). I don't mind flying economy domestically in the USA, but during the 4th of July, it can be quite annoying. A lot of families, people taking their sweet time to deplane, and some people not knowing where their seats are. Domestic First isn't the most private, but it's better than being stuck for 10 minutes while everyone else figures out how to take something out of an overhead bin.

• Be aware that most airports and lounges are going to be packed. Considering there are already waits for lounges, this could get severely worse from July 1st to 7th. Thankfully, there are new lounges opening up frequently in airports...

• Be prepared to just go with the flow. If you are a frequent flyer who has a routine, it might be disrupted. Sorry...

Here is to hoping my upgrade clears next week 😂. Heck, 1200 for an upgrade is too much

Here is my last tip, which I will discuss more in another post: if you don't have any commitments, fly on the 4th of July. Flights will be less busy, and the airport experience will be more seamless. That's what my plan is 😅.

Final Thoughts

If you happen to be traveling between July 1st and July 7th, there are a couple of things to be aware of. To summarize: it's basically going to be a hot mess throughout this time, and especially July 1st and July 6th. In my opinion, splurge for that upgrade, check out a new lounge, and most importantly, have patience. Summer travel is already pretty bad, but this upcoming week is going to make it even worse. Fly on the 4th if you have no commitments 😂.