Americans love a three day weekend, and many are excited to get a head start on Labor Day travel as Thursday looms. Thursday is circled on a lot of calendars as a day to hit the road early and get a head start on travel before the roadways get too congested. Don Redman, spokesperson for the AAA, actually suggests that people get a head start on travel plans. He also notes that gas prices are currently 40 cents lower than they were at this point last year and seem to be holding steady. This is a welcome stability for plenty of cash strapped folks who want to celebrate with a weekend trip.
Redman also notes that because of school schedules nationwide letting kids out at the same time, a confluence of different travelers will come together to be a potential "perfect storm" of busy roadways. While he concedes that many New Orleans vacationers will be sticking to the Gulf Coast and Florida to ease traffic-based vacation headaches, he sees just as many AAA members taking time off as far away as the Pacific Northwest.
People seem ready to get away, as AAA has seen a 9% uptick in travelers this year over last year at this time. Whether you're hitting the road early on Thursday to get a jump on your weekend or having to join the party a little late, you can expect plenty of company on the interstate. In the years post-COVID, American travel has steadily increased. This Labor Day looks to keep that trend going.