Trying to escape the triple-digit heat this holiday weekend? You’re not alone, as millions of Californians are expected to hit the road or hop on a plane to make their Independence Day plans a reality.
AAA predicts that the holiday week, which runs from the Saturday before July 4 to the Sunday after, will be a record period for travel in the U.S. About 71 million Americans are expected to drive or fly during the nine-day period.
The forecast marks a 5% increase from last year’s 67.4 million travelers during the Fourth of July holiday. AAA also expects a 5% increase in travelers in California, with more than 8.5 million Golden State residents expected to leave the city.
“Californians are choosing to take longer trips since Independence Day falls on a Thursday,” Brian Ng, senior vice president of membership and travel marketing for AAA Northern California, said in a statement. “This further fuels demand for summer travel, which shows no signs of abating.”
The California Highway Patrol warned residents to expect additional traffic congestion, especially due to the extreme heat in the area.
“The best thing is to plan ahead. Don’t rush. Don’t do anything last minute,” said Mark Leavitt, spokesman for the CHP’s South Sacramento office. “Make sure your vehicle is safe and ready to go.”
The Sacramento area is in the midst of a sweltering, weeklong heat wave, with an extreme heat warning in effect until 11 p.m. Tuesday. Daily high temperatures are expected to climb to at least 108 degrees each day through Sunday, according to the National Weather Service’s seven-day forecast.
CHP advised drivers to bring extra water as the heat wave continues. Additional officers will be patrolling the area through Sunday evening.
What about air travel?
The federal Transportation Security Administration is bracing for a record number of travelers this Independence Day weekend. The plan was to screen more than 32 million people from June 27 through July 8. That would be a 5.4 percent increase over last year’s holiday weekend.
“We expect this summer to be our busiest ever, and summer tourism typically peaks around Independence Day,” TSA Director David Pekoske said in a statement.
Despite the crowds, staff is prepared to meet security wait time expectations: 10 minutes or less for those with TSA PreCheck and 30 minutes or less for those in standard screening lanes.
Sacramento International Airport also predicts July will be one of its busiest months in history.
“This summer, we are serving more passengers than we did in 2023 and more than we did in 2019, which was our previous peak,” Lindsay Myers, a spokesperson for the Sacramento County Department of Airports, said in an email. “This weekend could be the busiest, but the entire month will be quite busy.”
Wednesday has been a normal day at SMF so far, she said, but passengers are advised to arrive at the airport two hours before their scheduled boarding time.
The heat wave is not expected to lead to flight delays or cancellations at the airport.
“Be patient and give yourself time,” Myers said. “The best advice we give is to check traffic to the airport well in advance.”
