More than 44 million Americans are expected to travel this weekend, making it the most-traveled Independence Day weekend ever. 

For this summer in general, experts predict air travel will be about 5 percent higher.

“We're going to see an increase in air travel, and with that, people are going to have to pack their patience,” Tracy Noble, of AAA, said.

Noble said that for a less stressful trip, travelers should select their seats as soon as they book. She said websites such as Seat Guru help in finding the best one.

Also, make sure the name on the ticket matches the proper ID. Noble said even a slight difference can hold up travelers.

Lastly, get to the airport early. Frequent flyers should consider the TSA Pre-check to get through the security line faster.

“I do recommend the prescreening, if your entire party is prescreened, so you need to take that into consideration. If you have one person in your party that's prescreened and the rest of the people in your traveling with are not, you're going to wind up waiting the same amount of time,” Noble said.

As for when to purchase a ticket, generally book four to six weeks ahead. Experts said the cheapest fares are usually posted Tuesday afternoons, and compare airports. Travelers willing to drive a little further to catch a flight, could take advantage of a cheaper ticket price.

When it comes to international trips, it’s highly advised to leave extra time for security lines. New rules going into effect place special attention on laptops and tablets.