Photo: Kristi Blokhin (Shutterstock)
The summer of 2023 has been all about travel, and Labor Day weekend is no exception. According to booking data from the American Automobile Association (AAA)—which includes flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises—domestic travel bookings for the holiday weekend are up 4% from last year.
Meanwhile, international bookings are up a whopping 44% from Labor Day weekend 2022, with more Americans heading to Vancouver, Rome, London, Dublin, and Paris than any other international destinations.
But the increase in international travel doesn’t mean America’s roads will be empty. Fortunately, AAA has made some predictions as to the best and worst times to hit the road this Labor Day weekend. Here’s what to know.
The best and worst times to drive this Labor Day weekend
Using data from INRIX, a firm providing transportation insights, experts at AAA have determined that these are the best and worst times to drive this Labor Day weekend:
Wednesday, August 30
Worst time: 12—8 p.m.Best time: Before 7 a.m.Thursday, August 31
Worst time: 12—8 p.m.Best time: Before 7 a.m.
Friday, September 1
Worst time: 11 a.m.—9 p.m.Best time: Before 11 a.m.Saturday, September 2
Worst time: 10 a.m.—4 p.m.Best time: After 6 p.m.Sunday, September 3
Minimal traffic impact expectedMonday, September 4
Worst time: 10 a.m.—6 p.m.Best time: After 7 p.m.Overall, traffic is expected to be worst on Thursday afternoon and all day Friday, so plan accordingly. Also, if your road trip takes you anywhere near one or more of the country’s major metropolitan areas, AAA has additional information available on peak congestion periods by city and route.
Holiday roadtrippers will find gas prices similar to last year’s, when the national average was roughly $3.78 a gallon. But one thing that has changed this year is consumers’ interest in travel insurance.
“Post pandemic, more travelers are recognizing the benefit of protecting their investment in case of trip interruption, whether it’s illness or a canceled flight,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel explains in a news release. “We’re also seeing demand for longer stays, especially now when many people have the option to work remotely from their destination.”
