Flight cancellations and delays at Newark Liberty International Airport dragged on for a fifth straight day this week.
The last few days have been a travel nightmare for many travelers due to stormy weather conditions — and airlines are still trying to recover as travel for Fourth of July weekend ramps up.
According to AAA, 4.2 million people are expected to fly this weekend – an increase of 11% from 2022.
And the roads are just as busy with 43 million people driving nationally. New Jersey sees just over 1 million drivers alone.
AAA says that’s due in part to gas prices being down more than a dollar over last year.
They say the worst times to hit the road is Thursday between 4 and 6 p.m. and Friday afternoon with the peak at 5 p.m. if you’re headed to the shore.
There were hundreds of flight cancellations and delays ahead of this weekend which AAA says will be record-breaking both on the roads and in the air. According to Flight Aware, there are more than 65 cancellations in and out of Newark and dozens of delays.
The cancellations and delays brought long lines as travelers tried to rebook flights. Some travelers already had their bags checked on other flights.
Cancellations could pile up again Thursday as smoke and haze from Canada returns to New Jersey. Earlier this month, hundreds of flights were grounded due to poor visibility from the smoke.