Summer travel forecast: Busiest days to fly and how to save on airfare
The night of Friday, June 20, marks the summer solstice, which ushers in the official start of summer for the Northern Hemisphere.
With millions of Americans gearing up for summer vacations, here's what you need to know before you to head to the airport or hit the highway:
Air travel
The Federal Aviation Administration said it predicts over 50,000 flights (including cargo flights) per day this summer, citing a 4% increase of summer flight schedules compared to last year.
United Airlines is projecting a record-breaking summer with about 50 million passengers from June to August -- about 3 million more than last year.
American Airlines said it expects to operate 5% more flights this summer than it did last year. The airline said nearly five flights will depart every minute over the course of the summer.
American Airlines forecasts its busiest day to be Sunday, July 6, with nearly 6,800 flights.
Expedia said some of the busiest travel days are expected to be Thursday, June 19 (Juneteenth); Friday, June 27; Tuesday, Aug. 5, and Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Hopper recommends flying midweek, like Tuesday or Wednesday, to save up to 20% on airfare.
According to Expedia, the cheapest days to fly domestically this summer will be Tuesday, Aug. 19, and Monday, Aug. 25, due to the drop in demand as summer travel wraps up.
Expedia said the most popular domestic travel spots are Las Vegas; New York City; Orlando, Florida; Miami; Chicago; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Honolulu, Hawaii; Seattle; Los Angeles; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Internationally, Expedia said popular destinations include Cancun, Mexico; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Paris; London; Tokyo; Rome; the Bahamas; and Barcelona, Spain.
Road travel
Good news for those taking road trips: Hopper said car rental prices are remaining steady from last year, averaging $47 per day.
The cities seeing the highest car rental demand are Orlando, Las Vegas and Denver, followed by Miami and Chicago, according to Hopper.
Cities in Florida are seeing the most affordable car rental rates this year, with daily average costs at $26 or less in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa.
The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.14 -- the lowest June gas price since 2021, according to AAA.
