If you've ever traveled for the Fourth of July, you know that it's not always a fun experience. With so many people on the road and in the sky, there are often delays and cancellations. And according to Travel + Leisure, more Americans will travel this Fourth than ever — to the tune of 44.2 million people.
So how to avoid all the frustration? According to RewardExpert's 2017 Independence Day Air Travel Forecast, it comes down to choosing the most favorable airlines and days to travel. The study, reported by T + L, used five years of flight data from the Department of Transportation.
The worst stateside airline to fly this Fourth of July, RewardExpert found, is United; three out of four flights are expected to be delayed or canceled based on past data. (That is really not okay...) But if you want to arrive on time for your family barbecue, you should pick Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines, or Delta Air Lines, which topped the list when it comes to reliability.
The dates when you travel matter a lot, too. The actual holiday — July 4 (which awkwardly falls on a Tuesday this year, so you're lucky if you have a super-long weekend) — is one of the best days to fly, as there are statistically fewer delays and cancellations. But try to avoid June 30 and July 1 — you'll save yourself a headache.