It’s common knowledge that flight prices are usually most expensive around the holidays—an uptick in travel means there’s more demand, so those tickets home for Christmas or Thanksgiving always cost a pretty penny. Summer holidays tend to have the same effect on travel prices, especially considering how summer is the most expensive season to fly in general. But this might be your year to finally take that Fourth of July trip; KAYAK’s Summer Travel Check-In Report shares that flights to cities nationwide around Independence Day weekend are almost 10% cheaper on average for 2025 than they were in 2024.
The report also mentions that this is the first time in years we’ve seen a downward trend in flight prices around this holiday. And it’s not just middle-of-nowhere destinations that are offering good deals; some of the most popular Fourth of July travel spots have price drops up to 20%. It might just be time for you to start packing!
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Most Popular Travel Destinations for the 4th of July
KAYAK reports that the five most popular cities for Independence Day travel are Chicago, New York, Las Vegas, Denver and Seattle. This year, airfare to New York is looking to be the cheapest out of all of those, averaging at $278 (that’s a 20% savings from last year’s average flight prices!).
Things to Do in New York City for the 4th of July
No 4th is complete without a fireworks show (held safely, of course). The largest display in the country, Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks, is held in NYC and lights up the city skyline from the Hudson River. You can view the fireworks from many spots in the city, from Gantry Plaza State Park to a dinner cruise on the river. The infamous Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is also held on this July day each year in Coney Island. Home to the Statue of Liberty, New York City is the perfect place to cultivate that Americana feeling.
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Flights to Vegas will also save you 20% this summer, while Seattle and Denver are looking at price drops between 3 and 11%. Chicago is the only city on this list with an increase in airfare compared to last year, but don’t worry, it’s only 1% higher at $328.
Cheapest Places to Travel for the Fourth of July This Year
But if your goal is to save as much as possible on your Fourth of July trip, forget about the hot spots and visit Raleigh, North Carolina. While it’s not one of the typical go-to spots for 4th of July travel, average airfare is just $207 this year. The next three best deals are to Atlanta, Dallas and Tampa. So if you can stand the heat and humidity, head to the South.
Each city has its own things going on for this holiday, but you’re sure to find spectacular fireworks displays in any of them. Plus, you can kill two birds with one stone by visiting all the tourist attractions you would during any visit to these major cities; you just get to take advantage of the holiday weekend PTO while doing it. KAYAK’s tools, including Explore, Price Alerts and newly launched KAYAK.ai, make it easy for travelers to plan smarter, track savings and book with confidence all season long.
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