UNDATED—(AVC News)–With summer officially winding down, many Americans are expected to take advantage of a long weekend and squeeze in one more small vacation trip.
The travel expert AAA does not give actual travel predictions for the Labor Day holiday, but does say travelers should expect higher prices and crowded conditions, pointing out that every holiday travel period thus far this year has set new records. “While AAA does not predict the number of travelers for Labor Day, we’ve set records for every other major holiday this year.
VACATION DESTINATIONS
As far as destinations, AAA booking data shows Seattle, Orlando, Boston, Denver, and New York are the top domestic destinations, while Rome, Vancouver, London, Dublin, and Paris top the international list.
HIGHER PRICES FOR FLIGHTS CERTAIN
Home or abroad, one thing for certain, Labor Day holiday travels this year will cost more.
AAA reports that weekend travelers who are staying in the U.S. are paying 2% more for roundtrip flights compared to last year, averaging $750 per ticket. The price is even higher for people who are traveling to the top domestic destinations. AAA booking data shows those flights are 20% higher than last year, averaging nearly $800 per ticket. However, international flights are 4% cheaper this Labor Day weekend, averaging $1,240 per ticket.
FLIGHT SECURITY
One thing those flying need to account for is the time needed for security check-in’s.
According to recent reports, the average TSA wait time at the top 50 U.S. airports is 9.9 minutes.
JFK International (JFK) has the longest average TSA wait of those at 23.1 minutes, while the shortest average TSA wait time is 3.7 minutes at San Antonio International.
Among the average TSA wait times in this region:
Pittsburgh International #6 at 4.6 minutes
Cincinnati/N. Kentucky International at # 10 with 5.9 minutes wait time
#13 is John Glenn International in Columbus at 7.2 minutes
Cleveland Hopkins International comes in at #20 with a 9 minute TSA wait time
TRAVEL ON THE ROAD
Motorists, no surprise, are seeing higher prices at the pumps.
At last check the national average for a gallon of gasoline was a record setting $4.14. Last Labor Day, the national average for a gallon of unleaded fuel stood at $3.19.
Here in Ohio, the state wide average price at the pump was $3.90, while a year ago it was $3.13.
BEST TIMES TO HIT THE ROAD
According to the AAA, INRIX, a provider of transportation data says, for those hitting the road, the worst travel times likely will be Thursday from 2-7 pm, Friday noon-8 pm and Saturday 1-5 pm.
EXPERTS URGE SAFE TRAVELS THIS LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP), and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) are urging mororists to use extra caution when traveling over the busy Labor Day travel weekend.
Last year, the Labor Day reporting period saw 27 people killed in 23 crashes in Ohio – a 35% increase from the previous year. Of those, 15 crashes and 17 deaths involved a driver who was impaired by alcohol and/or drugs.
The 2026 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over national high-visibility enforcement campaign continues through September 7. Troopers will have an increased presence on Ohio’s roadways to promote a safe holiday for everyone.
