Millions of travelers are expected to pass through New York City-area airports and cross the region’s bridges and tunnels during the five-day July Fourth holiday period, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  

The agency is projecting that around 5.5 million people will use its airports and vehicle crossings between Thursday, July 2 and Monday, July 6.

What You Need To Know

About 5.5 million travelers are expected to use Port Authority airports and bridges and tunnels from July 2-6

Thursday and Sunday are expected to be the busiest days at area airports, with more than 2.1 million air passengers projected over the five-day period

Road and transit travelers should expect delays, especially on Sunday, July 5, when a FIFA World Cup match comes to MetLife Stadium

That figure includes around 2.1 million air travelers at John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, LaGuardia and New York Stewart International airports. That would fall just short of the record 2.2 million passengers the same travel period saw in 2024.

On the roads, about 3.4 million vehicles are expected to cross the Port Authority’s bridges and tunnels during the holiday period, the agency said, similar to last year.

To accommodate the rush, the agency will pause all non-emergency repairs and construction projects at its crossings from 5 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Monday. A separate advisory will be issued next week for any additional lane closures or service changes.

Travelers should also prepare for additional congestion on Sunday, July 5, when a FIFA World Cup match at MetLife Stadium is expected to draw large crowds. Officials strongly encourage fans and other travelers to use mass transit and avoid driving near the stadium.

PATH, which does not serve MetLife, will be operating on a modified schedule for part of the holiday weekend. Riders should check for service changes before traveling to their destinations.

Meanwhile, work on the $19 billion JFK Airport redevelopment will continue. The agency says anyone traveling to the airport by car should “plan ahead for delays or reroutes due to detours or closures of parts of the airport roadway network.”

“Customers are strongly advised to use mass transit to and from the airport, such as MTA New York City Transit subway or buses to AirTrain JFK stations at Jamaica, Lefferts Blvd or Howard Beach,” the agency said.

Port Authority is urging all drivers to use the free drop-off and pickup lot at JFK Airport’s AirTrain station at Lefferts Boulevard.

The agency said travelers are advised to check construction.jfkairport.com for details about construction-related travel impacts.

Air travelers should arrive at least two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international departures, the agency added.

Nationwide, AAA estimates 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles during the Independence Day holiday period, setting a new record. About 61.4 million people are expected to travel by car, while 5.85 million will fly domestically and nearly 5 million will travel by bus, train or cruise.

According to transportation analytics company INRIX, the busiest driving periods will generally occur in the afternoon and evening leading up to the holiday. The worst times to travel include:

Wednesday, July 1: Noon to 9 p.m.
Thursday, July 2: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday, July 3: Noon to 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 4: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sunday, July 5: Noon to 6 p.m.

AAA recommends leaving earlier in the day whenever possible to avoid the heaviest holiday traffic. It classifies the holiday travel period as a nine-day range, from Saturday, June 27 to Sunday, July 5.