The priciest day to fly for July 4 isn’t the holiday itself

Americans are getting ready to hit the skies for the July 4 holiday, one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.

This year, travelers are seeking out the best bang for their buck, with Expedia's July 4 report revealing a 120% year-over-year increase in economy airfare searches and a 1,265% jump in using budget filters as they plan their trips.

"This summer, travelers are less 'where do I want to go?' and more 'how do I make this trip work?'" said Melanie Fish, vice president of Expedia Group public relations. "We’ve seen budget filtering skyrocket more than 13 times higher than this time last year, along with more people using rewards, choosing all‑inclusive stays, and looking just outside major destinations to stretch their dollars."

Thankfully, airfares are trending down for the first time in weeks, allowing travelers to book an affordable getaway for the holiday weekend, according to KAYAK.

Here's what to know about July 4 travel, according to top travel platforms.

Trending July 4 destinations

The top trending domestic destinations for the July 4 weekend are those with easy access to national parks and affordable prices, including some cheaper alternatives to popular hotspots, according to Expedia.

Here are Expedia's trending July 4 destinations:

• Moab, Utah
• Gatlinburg, Tennessee
• Flagstaff, Arizona
• Mariposa, California
• Bozeman, Montana

KAYAK is also seeing a spike in searches for locales hosting major sports events, such as Kansas City, New York and San Antonio.

Most expensive day to fly

The busiest and most expensive day to fly is Thursday, July 2, with domestic airfare averaging 25% higher than on the holiday itself, according to KAYAK.

A little flexibility can go a long way in savings. KAYAK data show the average domestic airfare on July 4 is $286, compared to $380 on July 1 and July 2.

Affordable July 4 destinations

July 4 may be a peak travel period, but travelers can still snag some solid deals for a beach vacation. According to KAYAK, the cheapest destinations for the holiday weekend are:

• Fort Lauderdale, Florida – average airfare of $281
• Myrtle Beach, South Carolina – average airfare of $305
• West Palm Beach, Florida – average airfare of $320

Perennial destination Hawaii is also seeing a year-over-year drop in airfare of up to $99 per ticket. Flights to Kauai are averaging $652, 13% lower than last year, and flights to Oahu are $671, 9% cheaper than 2025.