In many places, Labor Day weekend will be busier than ever, but there will be one very pleasant break in the visitor experience: cheaper pricing.
According to AAA, domestic travel is expected to increase by 9% over the Labor Day weekend in 2024 compared to the previous year.
With an 8.5% increase in passenger flow over 2023, the Transportation Security Administration is preparing for the largest Labor Day travel season ever at U.S. airports. Both American Airlines and United Airlines have stated that they anticipate their busiest Labor Day operations to date.
What’s probably on a lot of passengers’ minds: Can the system take the strain?
It will be really busy. Both driving and flying will involve millions of individuals. Airlines should be able to accommodate the record numbers, barring a severe weather incident, according to Phil Dengler, co-founder of The Vacationer.
Reduced airfares may lessen the pain of any traffic delays that may occur this holiday weekend at airports. Additionally, cheaper gas prices will be encountered by Americans traveling by car.
Prices are down for Labor Day travel
In general, AAA reports that domestic travel costs for Labor Day weekend are 2% cheaper than they were a year ago. Additionally, the travel agency Hopper reports a 5% decrease in pricing for Labor Day weekend when compared to 2023. There has also been a 17% decrease in airfare since the 2019 holiday weekend prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hopper credits higher supply from aircraft and more favorable fuel prices for the decreased rates.
As they head out on road travels during the holiday weekend, U.S. drivers may also anticipate paying less for gas. According to AAA, the average nationwide gas price for Labor Day weekend in 2023 was $3.81 per gallon. Thursday saw a national average gas price of $3.36 per gallon according to AAA.
According to GasBuddy projections, the average gas price for Labor Day will be $3.27 per gallon, which is 13% less than last year and the lowest price since 2021.
According to AAA, despite the popularity of summer road vacations, regular driving habits have reduced the overall need for gas.
Traveling defensively
The TSA predicts that Friday will be the busiest day for air travel, with 2.86 million passengers expected to be screened. According to the agency, staffing levels are maintained “to meet its wait time standards” throughout the Christmas season, which are 30 minutes or less in conventional screening lanes and 10 minutes or less in TSA PreCheck lanes.
During the holiday travel period, which runs from Thursday, August 29 through Wednesday, September 4, the TSA anticipates screening 17 million passengers.
Dengler stated that although he anticipates generally seamless operations, it’s better to be ready for snarls.
“After the CrowdStrike event, a lot of people are afraid about flying, but it’s doubtful that anything that big will happen during Labor Day weekend. In any case, when booking your ticket, make sure you’re in the best possible position to handle a major delay or cancellation,” he said.
“Instead of checking luggage, I advise scheduling a direct trip to your destination. I also advise using a credit card that offers comprehensive travel insurance to cover trip delays and cancellations when purchasing your journey.
Dengler also reminds us that we have a legal right to a cash refund if we choose not to travel on Labor Day weekend travel if our flight is significantly delayed or canceled.
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, stated that avoiding leaving congested areas during peak hours is one of the greatest measures for drivers. The afternoon and early evening on Thursday and Friday should be the busiest times of the day for Labor Day weekend.
Popular locations for this year
If you’re traveling to the Pacific Northwest and beyond, you may find yourself with plenty of company, according to AAA.
According to AAA, Seattle ranked #1 for Labor Day weekend travel in 2024, an increase of about 30% from the previous year. This is because, according to AAA, Alaska cruises, which are sold out for the weekend, depart from this location frequently. Juneau and Anchorage in Alaska are also among the top ten travel destinations.
Orlando, Florida, and New York City will be important travel destinations from that area.
According to AAA, Americans’ top international travel destinations are Vancouver, British Columbia; Rome; London; Paris; and Dublin, which are followed by these four popular European cities.
Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, stated that this is the ideal time of year to take an Alaskan cruise. “The number of people is lower than it was earlier in the summer.”
Is now the right time to reserve those 2025 cruises? According to AAA, it’s a good time to book.
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