Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer and people across the country are trying to squeeze in one last trip of the season.
That means travelers are in for a busy holiday weekend. Just how busy will it be?
"Summer travel has been hot all season long with increased travel for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. Expect the same for Labor Day," online travel advice site The Vacationer reported.
The Federal Aviation Administration predicts that this will be the third busiest holiday weekend of the year so far, according to the Associated Press.
According to AAA, domestic bookings for flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises over the holiday weekend are up 4% compared to last year. International bookings have surged are are up 44% over 2022, AAA added.
No matter where you're going, you should expect busy airports and long lines over the holiday span. More than 20 million seats will depart from US airports from Thursday to Tuesday of Labor Day weekend, an increase of 14% compared to this time last year, according to travel app Hopper.
The FAA is forecasting a peak of 52,203 flights on Thursday, followed by 49,111 flights on Friday, and the Transportation Security Administration expects to screen more than 14 million passengers.
"We anticipate this Labor Day holiday weekend will be busy, with passenger volumes nearly 11% higher than last year—volumes that already exceeded 2019 Labor Day holiday travel volumes," TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement.
A survey by The Vacationer shows more than 57% of American adults intend to travel over the long weekend, which represent more than 148 million people.
For drivers taking road trips, gas prices are similar to last year. According to AAA, the nationwide average on Thursday was $3.82.
Thursday between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. is expected to be the busiest time on the roads during the long Labor Day weekend, according to INRIX, a global provider of transportation data and insights. Friday is also expected to have higher than normal traffic volumes between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.
"The best times to travel by car over Labor Day weekend are early in the morning or in the evening," INRIX transportation analyst Bob Pishue said in a statement.