Coloradans traveling for the July 4th holiday can expect to join nearly 1 million other travelers passing through Denver International Airport or to navigate heavy traffic on major highways in and out of metro Denver.

DIA officials expect to see more than 900,000 passengers pass through security between Thursday and July 7, with up to 90,000 people entering the airport on July 6 alone.

Those numbers are similar to last year, and so is the airport’s advice for people navigating the crowds – arrive at least two hours before boarding and be prepared for long security lines during peak hours, which include 3 to 4 a.m., 8 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m.

Passengers can also make free reservations to go through security at the west checkpoint to reduce wait times.

Folks traveling on some of DIA’s smaller airlines will need to drop checked bags at a different location than normal because of ongoing construction, airport officials said. The counters for two dozen airlines at the south end of the Jeppesen Terminal are moving to Level 5 through mid-2027, including Delta, American, Allegiant and JetBlue airlines.

Counters for the airport’s largest carriers – United, Southwest and Frontier – will remain on Level 6.

Drivers on interstates 25 and 70 will likely see the biggest traffic impacts as locals and visitors alike leave metro Denver for the holiday, AAA spokesperson Skyler McKinley said.

The organization expects to see a record high number of people traveling by car across the U.S., and Colorado generally follows or exceeds national trends, McKinley said.

AAA projects 72 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between Saturday and July 6, and 61.6 million of those will travel by car.

“It’s never as bad as you think it is, but you have to be strategic,” McKinley said. “Not every travel day is created equal.”

Saturday and Sunday will likely see a surge in people heading to the mountains, with another wave on July 2 and 3, McKinley said. Drivers should also be prepared for “some weirdness” as they leave the metro because of regular commuter traffic mixing with holiday travel, he added.

The best bet to avoid the crowds is to start trips early in the day, but drivers should try to maintain their cool if the traffic conditions still don’t go their way.

“You can’t be mad at traffic, because you are traffic,” McKinley said.

Get more Colorado news by signing up for our Mile High Roundup email newsletter.

The Brief Officials at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport say they are ready for hundreds of thousands of travelers during the busy Fourth of July travel period. Officials say Thursday and Friday will see hundreds of thousands of passengers traveling through the world’s busiest airport. To help things run smoother, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is using new technology to speed up the customs process at the airport.

The busy Fourth of July travel period is already taking off, and officials at the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta say they’re prepared for the hundreds of thousands of travelers to hit the skies.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International officials expect more than 4 million passengers to pass through from Thursday until July 7.

What we know:

Friday is expected to be the busiest day of the season with airport officials estimating that nearly 400,000 passengers will be traveling through Atlanta.

Thursday won’t be far behind. Hartsfield-Jackson officials project that they’ll see about 384,000 passengers.

Nationwide, the Transportation Security Administration is expecting 18.5 million people to fly during the Fourth of July.

Travelers head off at the start of the busy Fourth of July travel period. (FOX 5)

In order to ease these summer travel numbers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is using new technology at the airport to streamline travelers’ arrivals into the country.

The technology captures the passenger’s image on the move, which speeds up the process of getting through customs.

What they’re saying:

“When you’re looking at an airport as busy as Atlanta where we’ll see upwards of 27,000 passengers on any given summer day, that translates into a 22% efficiency rate where we’re seeing a 40 to 50% decrease in passenger wait times,” said Clay Thomas, the Atlanta-area port director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

What you can do:

To help travelers navigate the crowds, TSA officials are urging people to plan ahead and arrive to the airport early.

For domestic flights, passengers should arrive 2.5 to 3 hours before departure, and at least 3 hours early for international travel.

Planning on driving? You should also prepare for delays as travelers pack the roads. AAA expects more than 2 million Georgians to head to their vacation destinations by car this year.

While the aviation industry has seen some dampened travel demand in 2025, the July 4 holiday period is still set to be busy at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The airport expects to see more than 4 million passengers between Thursday and July 7.

This Friday will be the busiest,with nearly 400,000 passengers projected, according to a news release. Thursday and July 6 are expected to follow with about 385,000 and 377,000 passengers, respectively.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – If you’re one of the millions of travelers passing through Atlanta’s airport in the next few weeks, you should plan on getting there early.

More than 4 million passengers are expected to travel through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during the busy Fourth of July travel period, which lasts from Thursday, June 26, through Monday, July 7, airport officials said in a press release.

Officials are urging passengers to arrive at least two-and-a-half hours before their departure times for domestic flights and three hours for international flights.

“It looks a little crowded, but you can go straight through,” said Nolan Hollaway, who was traveling to south Florida. “Get here early and take a picture of where you park.”

Passengers who require wheelchair assistance or have Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements should add 30 minutes to those arrival times.

Friday, June 27, is expected to be the busiest day, with a projected 394,576 passengers at the airport.

The next busiest day is predicted to be Sunday, July 6, with 377,076 passengers.

Airport officials are urging passengers to thoroughly inspect their luggage and belongings before arriving to make sure they’re not bringing prohibited items through the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint.

Officials remind passengers that “all firearms and ammunition must be packaged appropriately and placed in checked bags.”

The “What Can I Bring?” page on the TSA’s website has detailed information on prohibited items.

All passengers who are 18 or older must present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license or another acceptable form of identification to pass through security checkpoints. Passengers should check their driver’s license or state-issued ID for a star symbol in the upper right or left corner to make sure they’re compliant.

Officials said green-vested customer service representatives will be available to provide travelers with answers, directions and tips.

“So far, it’s not that bad,” said Robin Gaillard, traveling home to Indiana. “(No stress). I don’t think so. I’m doing okay. I’m good.”

For the first time in nearly a decade, parking rates at the airport are up. The most dramatic increase is in the hourly lots, where rates are jumping from $3 to $10 per hour. Over at the International Terminal, daily maximums have soared to $100. Daily parking across the airport’s parking decks has increased from $19 to $30. The economy uncovered lots are at $20.

MARTA officials said since the rate hike went into effect, ridership to the airport jumped 7.5%. The transit agency is reminding travelers that many of the extended park lots only charge $5 to $8 dollars a day.

At the airport, travelers are encouraged to check the airport’s website, ATL.com, for current information about parking options, security wait times and concessionaire options. Passengers are also encouraged to monitor the airport’s social media channels (@ATLairport) and the social media channels of their airlines for updates.

Copyright 2025 WANF. All rights reserved.

Travelers should remember to bring a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification when heading to the airport.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) says it’s prepared to screen more than 18.5 million passengers at airport security checkpoints across the country during the upcoming Fourth of July travel period, according to the TSA.

The holiday travel window runs from Tuesday, July 1, through Monday, July 7, with the busiest day expected to be Sunday, July 6, when around 2.9 million travelers are anticipated. The agency recently set a new record by screening nearly 3.1 million passengers on Sunday, June 22—the highest single-day total in TSA history.

“TSA continues to work closely with our industry partners and ensure our airport security checkpoints are fully staffed and prepared to handle the heavy rush of traffic,” said TSA Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill in a press release. “We are deploying technologies and procedures to improve security and enhance the passenger experience, including for families.”

“We ask travelers to pack their patience, especially during peak travel days, as we work to provide maximum hospitality to our customers,” McNeil stated.

For families heading out on vacation, the TSA has steps in place to help make airport screening faster and less stressful—especially when traveling with kids.

Children 12 and under can go through TSA PreCheck lanes with a parent or guardian who’s enrolled. And children won’t be separated from their parent or guardian during screening, according to the TSA.

Strollers, baby carriers, and car or booster seats are allowed through security, though they’ll need to be scanned by X-ray. The TSA also uses modified screening procedures to cut down on the chance of pat-downs, helping make the whole process smoother for families.

Travelers should remember to bring a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification when heading to the airport. Since the REAL ID requirement went into effect in May, nearly 94 percent of passengers have been showing compliant IDs, like a REAL ID or a passport, according to the TSA.

Passengers with disabilities or medical conditions who require additional assistance may contact TSA Cares by calling (855) 787-2227 at least 72 hours in advance of their flight.