Top Labor Day Travel Trends of 2024

WASHINGTON, DC - Aug. 19, 2024 - This year's record-breaking, blockbuster summer travel season comes to a close with many Americans exploring Alaska by cruise. According to AAA booking data, Seattle is the number one Labor Day weekend* destination, up nearly 30% from last year when it also topped the list. Anchorage and Juneau are also on the top ten list of Labor Day destinations.

"This is the time of year to go on an Alaska cruise," said Paula Twidale, Senior Vice President of AAA Travel. "There are fewer crowds compared to earlier in the summer, and if you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of fall colors! It's no surprise Alaska cruises are sold out this Labor Day weekend."

AAA travel experts say if you're interested in going on an Alaska cruisenext summer, the time to book is now to lock in the best rate and ensure you get the type of cabin you want.

According to AAA booking data, overall domestic travel over Labor Day weekend is up 9% compared to last year, while the cost to travel domestically is down 2%.Other top Labor Day destinations include Orlando, New York, Boston, Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago, and San Francisco. For many families, Labor Day is the last hurrah before school begins. To make the most of those trips, AAA recommends identifying must-see sights and creating a flexible itinerary ahead of time. "Trip Canvasis a great free resource for travelers in the planning phase," Twidale said. "You can find free things to do in Denveror the best museums in New York City."

Travelers taking road trips should expect to pay less for gas compared to last year. The national average over Labor Day weekend in 2023 was $3.81. In recent weeks, gas prices have remained steady, hovering around $3.50. Despite the popularity of summer road trips, overall gas demand is down as daily driving habits have changed post-pandemic, preventing pump prices from spiking. Hurricanes hitting the Gulf and affecting regional refineries could cause gas prices to go up as the peak of the season approaches in September. For drivers taking road trips in their electric vehicles, AAA now offers information on the cost of Level 2 commercial EV charging and updates that data weekly.

International travel over Labor Day weekend is down 4%compared to last year, per AAA booking numbers, while the cost to travel internationally is up 11%. Most of those travelers are heading to Europe. Eight out of the top ten international destinations booked through AAA are European cities. Travelers renting a car abroad should consider getting an International Driving Permit(IDP), which translates their driver's license information into 10 languages. Some countries - including Italy and Spain - require it. AAA is the only entity in the U.S. authorized by the State Department to issue an IDP.

Top Labor Day Destinations

DOMESTIC	INTERNATIONAL
Seattle, WA	Vancouver, BC, Canada
Orlando, FL	Rome, Italy
Anchorage, AK	London, England
New York, NY	Paris, France
Boston, MA	Dublin, Ireland
Las Vegas, NV	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Denver, CO	Barcelona, Spain
Chicago, IL	Athens, Greece
Juneau, AK	Mexicali, Mexico
San Francisco, CA	Edinburgh, Scotland

Best and Worst Times to Travel by Car over Labor Day Weekend
INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights, says car travelers should avoid the afternoon and early evening hours of Thursday and Friday, as those times will be the most congested. Drivers should hit the road in the morning unless they're leaving on Saturday when the best time to travel by car is in the afternoon. Travelers returning on Sunday and on Labor Day should leave 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."

Worst and Best Times to Travel by Car
Direction	Date	Worst Time	Best Time
Departing	Thursday, Aug 29	1:00 - 7:30 PM	Before 11 AM
Friday, Aug 30	2:00 - 6:00 PM	Before Noon, After 7 PM
Saturday, Aug 31	8:00 - 11:00 AM	After Noon
Returning	Sunday, Sep 1 Monday, Sep 2	2:00 - 8:00 PM 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM	Before Noon Before 10:00 AM
Tuesday, Sep 3	8:00 AM - Noon	After 1:00 PM

Source: INRIX

Peak Congestion by Metro
Metro	Route	Peak Congestion	Est. Travel Time	Traffic Increase
Atlanta	Atlanta to Savannah via I-16 E	Thursday 29th 1:45 PM	5 hours 1 minute	28%
Boston	Boston to Hyannis via Pilgrim Hwy S	Thursday 29th 1:45 PM	1 hour 42 minutes	24%
Chicago	Chicago to Indianapolis via I-65 S	Friday 30th 2:45 PM	5 hours 3 minutes	39%
Denver	Fort Collins to Denver via I-25 S	Tuesday 3rd 7:30 AM	1 hour 24 minutes	36%
Detroit	Detroit to Grand Rapids via I-96 W	Thursday 29th 1:30 PM	2 hours 59 minutes	20%
Houston	San Antonio to Houston via I-10 E	Monday 2nd 1:30 PM	3 hours 52 minutes	30%
Los Angeles	Bakersfield to Los Angeles via I-5 S	Monday 2nd 2:15 PM	1 hour 56 minutes	28%
Minneapolis	Eau Claire to Minneapolis via I-94 W	Monday 2nd 4:45 PM	1 hour 43 minutes	24%
New York	Jersey Shore to New York via Garden State Pkwy N	Friday 30th 2:15 PM	1 hour 25 minutes	40%
Philadelphia	Poconos to Philadelphia via I-76/I-476 PA Turnpike	Monday 2nd 8:30 AM	3 hours 23 minutes	35%
Portland	Eugene to Portland via I-5 N	Monday 2nd 6:00 PM	2 hours 33 minutes	34%
San Diego	Palm Springs to San Diego via I-15 S	Tuesday 3rd 9:45 AM	2 hours 29 minutes	15%
San Francisco	Sacramento to San Francisco via I-80 W	Monday 2nd 4:45 PM	2 hours 4 minutes	23%
Seattle	Bellingham to Seattle via I-5 S	Monday 2nd 3:45 PM	2 hours 5 minutes	24%
Tampa	Tampa to Orlando via I-4 E	Saturday 31st 10:15 AM	1 hour 58 minutes	39%
Washington, DC	Baltimore to Washington, DC via Balt/Wash Pkwy S	Monday 2nd 3:15 PM	1 hour 3 minutes	44%

Source: INRIX

*Labor Day Weekend
AAA looked at booking data for Thursday, August 29 through Monday, September 2, and compared those numbers with booking data for that same five-day period in 2023.

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