The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is preparing for a record number of travelers this July 4th holiday period. An estimated 5.5 million passengers are expected to use the authority's airports, bridges, and tunnels from July 3rd to July 7th. This represents a record high for the travel period.
Over 2.1 million travelers are projected to pass through Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark, and Stewart International airports. Newark is expected to see 709,100 passengers use the airport during the five-day holiday travel period. The bi-state authority is expecting a record total of 2.19 million-plus passengers to use its four metro area airports.
The surge in travel comes despite ongoing redevelopment work at JFK, which has led to longer wait times, delays, and re-routing for for-hire vehicles like Lyft and Uber. To encourage the use of mass transit for access to or from JFK, AirTrain JFK single ride fares will be reduced by 50% from today through Labor Day.
Travelers are advised to arrive at the airport early for their flights and to download airline apps for check-in, baggage check, and flight status updates. The TSA has installed new computed tomography scanners in Terminal B at Newark, which provide 3-D imaging for enhanced explosives detection capabilities for screening carry-on items. This allows travelers to leave their laptops and other electronic devices in their carry-on bags, along with their small 3-1-1 liquids, making the screening process more convenient.