US gears up for busy holiday weekend
Travellers in the US can expect especially busy traffic in and out of Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Atlanta airports during this year’s July 4th holiday weekend.
Airline research firm Hopper.com has crunched the numbers and come up with the top 20 busiest airports for July 4th.
It says Sin City will be busiest of all for air traffic, followed by Los Angeles and Atlanta, and other major airline hubs such as Chicago and Denver will likely be hectic too.
Hopper’s chief data scientist Patrick Surry says holiday weekend airfares have risen about 15% compared to 2013 and most of the top destinations are unchanged from last year.
Hopper based its numbers on trips already booked and query search data gleaned from GDS sources.
The analysis covers June 27 through July 6, with the busiest day for air travel expected on Friday July 4.
However Mother Nature could also wreak havoc for holiday travellers on the East Coast.
Tropical Storm Arthur is strengthening off the coast of Florida and could hit landfall in the Carolinas late today (Thursday) according to the National Hurricane Center.
Hopper’s top 20 busiest airports for July 4th holiday travel:
1. Las Vegas (LAS)
2. Los Angeles (LAX)
3. Atlanta (ATL)
4. Chicago (ORD)
5. Denver (DEN)
6. Newark (EWR)
7. New York (LGA)
8. Orlando (MCO)
9. San Francisco (SFO)
10. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
11. New York (JFK)
12. Boston (BOS)
13. Seattle (SEA)
14. Baltimore/Washington, DC (BWI)
15. Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
16. Minneapolis (MSP)
17. Detroit (DET)
18. Tampa (TPA)
19. Philadelphia (PHL)
20. Phoenix (PHX)
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026