Labor Day Weekend Travels: Here’s What to Expect

Drivers on the U.S. 101 freeway in Los Angeles on Aug. 30, 2019. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Millions of Americans are expected to hit the road and take to the skies this Labor Day weekend, taking advantage of slightly lower flight and gas prices as they travel to celebrate the unofficial end of summer.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which tracks the numbers of passengers its agent screens for security, predicted more than 17 million screenings at the nation’s airports from Aug. 29 through Sept. 4, an 8.5 percent increase from the same period last year.

The federal agency expected as many as 2.86 million passengers to pass through airport security checkpoints on Aug. 30 alone, making it the busiest air travel day of the holiday weekend. It would also exceed the number of passengers screened on the same day in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced air travel.

The Auto Group Club (AAA) also predicted heavy road congestions, with Labor Day travel expected to increase by 9 percent from last year, while domestic travel costs are projected to decrease by 2 percent.

“Americans see the extended Labor Day weekend as an opportunity to say farewell to summer with one final trip,” said AAA Vice President for Travel Debbie Haas. “Since many kids are already back in school, regional road trips tend to be the most popular option for families.”

INRIX, a software company that provides traffic updates, said motorists should avoid the afternoon and early evening hours of Aug. 30, as those times will be the most congested.

Travelers returning on Sept. 1 and on Labor Day should depart as early as possible to avoid heavy traffic in the afternoon.

“Drivers should expect the most severe traffic jams before the holiday weekend as commuters mix with travelers,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. “Monitoring traffic apps, local news stations, and 511 traveler information services may help drivers navigate around congestion and reduce driver frustration this Labor Day.”

Nationwide, AAA expects to rescue more than 300,000 stranded drivers during the Labor Day weekend.

“The top 3 reasons for those calls tend to be a flat tire, dead battery, or a lockout. So we’re certainly encouraging people to make sure their vehicle is road trip ready,” said AAA’s Mark Jenkins. “We’re also urging drivers to make sure they’re watching the shoulders of the roads where our workers are going to be, making sure they give them extra space. So slow down, move over when you’re approaching anybody on the roadside.”

What Are Prices Like?

Domestic airline prices are down. The travel app Hopper reported that domestic airfares are 5 percent lower this Labor Day weekend and 17 percent lower than they were during the same holiday weekend in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those hitting the road will find a slight break at the gas pump. The national average price of regular gas on Aug. 30 was $3.35 per gallon, compared to $3.83 a year ago, according to AAA. The current price is a far cry from the $5-a-gallon gas that Americans faced in June 2022 as the U.S. government banned oil imports from Russia after it invaded Ukraine.

Gas prices are down the most over the past year in Oregon (97 cents), Washington state (93 cents), Arizona (88 cents), Alaska (87 cents), and Utah (68 cents), according to AAA.

For electric vehicles, the average price for a kilowatt of power at a Level 2 commercial charging station is about 34 cents. The average is under 25 cents in Kansas and Missouri but tops 40 cents in several states, including New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Hawaii is the most expansive, at 56 cents.

Domestic airline prices are also down. According to travel app Hopper, domestic airfares are 5 percent cheaper than last year’s Labor Day airfares, and 17 percent lower than they were during the same holiday weekend in 2019.

The busiest airports over labor day weekend would be Atlanta, Chicago O‘Hare, and Dallas Fort Worth, said Hopper. Atlanta is expected to send off more than 1 million passengers over the seven days, while O’Hare and Dallas will see just under 1 million departures each. Major international hubs, such as New York’s John F. Kennedy, O'Hare, and Dallas, will be busiest in the evening, while other airports will be busiest earlier in the day.