A travel guru has offered guidance on how to steer clear of a common blunder while navigating airports during the busy July 4th period.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) anticipates that an impressive 18.7 million individuals will undergo airport security between June 30 and July 6.
Many travelers are boarding domestic flights across the United States to reunite with loved ones for Independence Day, during what is expected to be an exceptionally busy time.
In addition to the usual hustle and bustle at American airports, the influx of soccer fans visiting the country for the World Cup is likely to increase the number of travelers even further.
So, what steps can travelers take to escape the chaos?
Jacob Wedderburn-Day, a seasoned travel expert and CEO of Stasher, shared with UNILAD: “Travelers with flexibility should compare earlier or later options and check live fares before booking.”
“If you can, take the first flight out. Early flights are not magic, but they have less time to inherit delays from earlier legs. By late afternoon, one storm, one crew delay or one backed-up hub can start rippling through the whole system.”
Wedderburn-Day also highlighted the ‘biggest mistake’ travelers typically make on July 4th.
“The biggest mistake is planning for the flight on paper, not the airport on the day,” he explained to UNILAD.
He further advised: “People think, ‘It is a domestic flight, I will be fine,’ then forget they are traveling on one of the busiest days of the summer. Pack food, charge everything, check your aircraft, and do not cut it close if you are checking a bag.”
“For short connections, keep essentials in your carry-on: medication, chargers, documents, a change of clothes and anything you would be genuinely stuck without. Checked bags can still make it, but crowded airports leave less margin for error.”
Additionally, it’s important for passengers to ‘stop treating the departure time as the deadline’, particularly during peak travel days like July 4th, as noted by Jacob.
“On peak days, your real deadline is when you need to be through security, fed, charged up and near the gate,” he mentioned.
“Track the aircraft coming in for your flight, use the airline app, and give yourself enough room that one long bag-drop line does not ruin the trip.”
He also suggests checking the airport map before arriving: “Some airports allow passengers to clear security in a different terminal and walk airside to their gate, but others do not. “If the airport has rail or reliable public transport, that can be less stressful than joining a packed ride-share queue.”