Centra Florida residents should prepare for increased air and road traffic as the Fourth of July approaches.

Officials with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority expect Orlando International Airport to have about 700,000 estimated departures over the nine-day period from Saturday to July 7. There will be more than 85,000 departures on Saturday and again on July 6, the two heaviest travel days.

“We definitely will see an increase in passengers, just not as much as we have seen over the Christmas holiday and over the Memorial holiday,” said spokesperson Angela Starke.

Besides arriving early, her biggest piece of advice for fliers as they go through the airport is not to carry any items that would slow down TSA. Given the holiday, she stresses: especially fireworks.

Parking can be found in garages and well as three new surface lots, one of which opened in January. Access to the lots requires a special pass.

AAA says nationwide, 70.9 million people will travel 50 miles or more from their homes over from Saturday to July 7, a 5% increase compared to the same time last year.

An estimated 60.6 million will travel by car and 5.47 million will travel by air, representing an increase of about 5% for cars and about a 7% increase for air since 2023.

The Federal Aviation Administration has not posted any information about the holiday, but said Thursday was the busiest day of the year so far with over 53,000 flights.

Meanwhile, drivers can expect heavy traffic on the road.

Cindi Lane, a spokesman for Florida Department of Transportation’s District Five, which covers nine counties in Central Florida, said there will be a record number of visitors on the road for the holiday.

A statement from FDOT says to use SunRail when possible and be patient in the holiday traffic, especially when heading out to fireworks, the beach, parks and attractions.