Labor Day is summer’s last hurrah—and for many Americans, it’s the last chance to wedge in a vacation before the fall routines of school and the final push before the holidays. If you’re planning to take advantage of the long weekend for a getaway, though, timing will be everything.
AAA, citing analysis from transportation data provider Inrix, says travelers who will be driving should avoid the afternoon and evening hours on Thursday and Friday as those will see peak congestion. If you’re on the road Saturday, you should be fine in the afternoon.
For your return trip, the service says, plan on getting up early if you want to avoid gridlock on Sunday or Monday.
“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.”
The airports won’t be much of a different story. Travel service Hopper says 3.6 million people are expected to depart on Thursday and Friday, with the vast majority returning on Monday. Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas–Fort Worth will be the busiest airports.
Overall, Labor Day is not as big a travel holiday as summer three- and four-day weekends such as Memorial Day or July 4. That said, AAA says domestic travel will be 9% higher than last year, thanks in part to lower travel costs. Cruises are especially popular, with AAA booking data showing that Alaska cruises are sold out for the weekend.
The summer of 2024 set new records for the number of people on the move, with 71 million taking trips during the July 4 holiday alone.