The extended Labor Day weekend has historically been a busy time of year for travel as Americans hit the road for the last bit of summer. This year will be no different.
The American Automobile Association cautioned travelers to plan for heavy traffic and be aware of higher gas and flight costs ahead of the federal holiday. Labor Day falls on Sept. 7 this year.
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Those traveling by car are encouraged to drive before the holiday traffic gets too congested. The worst times to travel via highway are 2 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3, and noon until 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4, according to transportation analytics firm INRIX. Those two days are when people will most likely travel.
The worst travel times on Saturday, Sept. 5, are 1-5 p.m. There is minimal traffic expected on Sunday, Sept. 6, so traveling by car that day will be optimal.
For the trip back home, people are advised to avoid driving between 2 and 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 7.
Drivers are encouraged to check their tire pressure, test their car battery, and pack food and emergency supplies, among other action steps, before leaving for their road trips. AAA said it responded to more than 400,000 roadside assistance calls during Labor Day last year.
Though AAA has no projection for how many people will drive over the holiday weekend, considerably more people drive than fly per year. An estimated 80% of holiday travelers generally opt for road trips rather than flights for Labor Day.
That said, a record-breaking 3.4 million United Airlines passengers will be traveling between Sept. 3 and 8. That is about 300,000 more passengers than last year. Other major airlines haven’t released their Labor Day travel projections yet.
More people will be screened at airport security checkpoints. Last year, the Transportation Security Administration screened an estimated 10.4 million individuals.
Labor Day travel plans will also be more expensive this year, regardless of whether people are driving or flying. Gas prices and airfares are higher due to the unresolved Iran war, which placed enormous pressure on the global oil market for several months.
For motorists, the national average gas price is about 90 cents higher this time of year compared to the same time last year. And for airline passengers traveling to the most popular Labor Day weekend destinations, ticket prices are up about 20%.
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Some of the top domestic destinations are Seattle, Orlando, Boston, Denver, and New York City. The top international destinations include Rome, Vancouver, London, Dublin, and Paris.
Meanwhile, cruise prices are 4% cheaper than last year. Cruises and national parks are the two driving forces for Labor Day travel demand this year, according to AAA.
