FAA Forecasts 56,311 Flights on July 9 as Post-Holiday Returns Drive July Peak
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 9
FAA Forecasts 56,311 Flights on July 9 as Post-Holiday Returns Drive July Peak
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 9
Summary
56,311 flights are expected nationwide on Thursday, making July 9 the busiest U.S. air travel day of July and just eight flights shy of June 25's 56,319 peak for the year.
July 9's surge comes nearly a week after the Fourth of July because travelers extended holiday trips, chased cheaper midweek fares and folded returns into broader summer vacations.
Travel experts said July 4 itself was not the operational peak because many Americans drove for the holiday, while schools being out and airlines' heavier end-of-week schedules lifted Thursday demand.
72.2 million Americans were expected to travel over the July 4 weekend, underscoring how holiday traffic is spilling into the wider summer season rather than ending with the holiday itself.