While the Fourth of July celebrates American independence, this year, American travelers are choosing to celebrate by exploring outside the homeland.
TripIt analyzed U.S. origin flight, rental car, lodging, and vacation rental reservations made by our TripIt users for Fourth of July weekend 2022 and compared the findings to the equivalent booking period in 2021.
We found that nearly 40% of all flight reservations during the holiday weekend will be to international destinations as Americans make up for lost time due to pandemic-era restrictions. We also found that major metros continue to see a tourist revival, though destinations known for open spaces and outdoor adventures continue to draw crowds, as well.
Current Percentage of Flight Reservations Compared to Year Prior
| 2022 Flights (All) |
2022 Flights (Domestic) |
2022 Flights (Int’l) |
2022 Car Rentals | 2022 Lodging | 2022 Vacation Rentals | |
| % change from 2021 | +115% | +68% | +290% | +48% | +42% | +31% |
Long lines loom at domestic airports
As seen increasingly during holiday periods—most recently, Memorial Day Weekend 2022—airports can expect crowds. With reduced staff across the board—from security and concession to flight attendants and pilots—travelers can expect long lines and should be prepared for potential delays.
We expect the busiest airports to be:
Those departing from these airports should allow extra time, especially if their flight is on Friday (7/1), the busiest day for departures, or Tuesday (7/5), when most travelers will return. For the top-five most popular airports, the busiest hours for departures (and when you should be careful to allow even more time) will be:
Busiest Airport Hours Based on Departure Reservations
| Airport | Date | Departure Time (Local) |
| SFO | July 1
July 5 |
8 a.m. 1 p.m.1 p.m. 8 a.m. |
| LAX | July 1
July 5 |
9 a.m. 8 a.m. 7 a.m. |
| JFK | July 1
July 5 |
5 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. |
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