July 4 Weekend Travel 2025: When To Avoid Worst Congestion In NY Metro Area

NEW YORK — The holiday weekend is expected to be a peak travel time, so plan ahead to avoid traffic jams and other travel-related hassles.

AAA projects that 72.2 million people nationwide will travel at least 50 miles from home between June 28 and July 6 for the Independence Day holiday, an increase of 1.7 million compared to last year.

Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said July 4 is one of the most popular times of the year to get away.

“AAA is seeing strong demand for road trips and air travel over Independence Day week,” Barber said. “With the holiday falling on a Friday, travelers have the option of making it a long weekend or taking the entire week to make memories with family and friends.”

AAA reports that New York is among the top three Independence Day destinations nationwide due to the popularity of its July 4 fireworks show.

About 61.6 million people nationwide will be traveling by car, a 2.2 percent increase over last year, according to AAA.

Summer gasoline prices are the lowest since 2021, the report shows.

The national average price for a gallon of gasoline as of July 2 was at $3.17, while for New York state as a whole, the average price is at $3.20, according to AAA. Westchester County’s gas prices are hovering around $3.37 per gallon as of July 2. For Suffolk County, prices are around $3.15 per gallon.

From today through Sunday, July 6, motorists will encounter the busiest days on the road, according to INRIX, which provides transportation data and insights and partnered with AAA in the forecast.

INRIX recommends traveling during the morning, as afternoons will have the most traffic congestion.

The best times to travel by car are before noon daily through July 4, and before 11 a.m. on July 5 and July 6, the report shows.

The worst times to travel by car include: July 2, noon to 9 p.m.; July 3, 2 to 6 p.m.; July 4, noon to 7 p.m.; July 5, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and July 6, noon to 6 p.m., according to INRIX. It anticipates a peak congestion route for the region will be I-87 southbound between Albany and New York City on Sunday, July 6.

Air travel is expected to set a new record nationwide this weekend also. AAA anticipates that 5.84 million travelers will fly to their destinations, a 1.4 percent increase compared to the previous record set last Independence Day week, according to AAA.