47M Fourth of July Travelers: AAA
When looking at the week of the Fourth of July in 2017, including the weekends before and after the holiday, AirHelp found that more than 47,000 flights were disrupted.

Fridays before and after July Fourth were the busiest travel days during the holiday period in 2017.
Photo via Dan Nguyen/Flickr.
The AAA reports that more than 46.9 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more for Fourth of July celebrations. When looking at the holiday week in 2017, including the weekends before and after the holiday, AirHelp found that more than 47,000 flights were disrupted, and that the Fridays before and after July 4 were the busiest travel days within this period.
Below is more data from last year's Fourth of July travel period, which can help inform passengers about what to expect this year:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) had the highest number of on-time flights.
Travelers are eligible to claim more than $195 million in compensation from disruptions experienced during this period under European law EC 261.
The 10 most disrupted flight routes were:
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) to Portland International Airport (PDX)
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Canada's Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Related: 36.6M People to Hit the Road for Memorial Day
More Rental Operations

What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?
The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.
Read More →
NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings
With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.
Read More →
Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study
While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.
Read More →
The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals
Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.
Read More →
The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
Read More →
ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers
The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.
Read More →
Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service
Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.
Read More →
Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
