This Labor Day, more Americans than ever will be going the distance—by heading out of the country. According to American Automobile Association (AAA) data released today, bookings for flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises have all increased compared to last year, with international travel bookings spiking 44 percent.
For the final summer holiday weekend, Europe appears to offer the greatest appeal, accounting for four of the top five booked cities: Rome, London, Dublin, and Paris. Vancouver rounds out the list, as Canada is usually popular this time of year.
“Americans are still enamored with Europe—the culture, history, and gastronomy are fantastic,” AAA Travel Senior Vice President Paula Twidale tells Condé Nast Traveler. “This time of year is appealing because temperatures are starting to cool and summer crowds are starting to wane.” In addition to the popular European hot spots, she says that the company’s travel advisors are seeing more people book bucket-list trips to places like Egypt and Antarctica. “The pandemic changed their perspective on travel and their motto is now, ‘Carpe diem!’” she says.
International hotel destinations are up a whopping 82 percent compared to last year, while international cruise bookings have also gone up 44 percent—especially around Caribbean and European river routes—demonstrating that Americans are willing to use their passports more than ever before.
Domestic travel booking has also grown, albeit just four percent compared to last year. Las Vegas, Orlando, and New York City are among the top cities, with travelers drawn to the entertainment options in all three. The other top picks are Seattle and Anchorage, which are especially popular now because of the Alaska cruise season winding down, Twidale says.
AAA also “expects roads to be busy” during the long weekend. “Many families are enjoying road trips to the beach, national parks, and theme parks,” Twidale says. But vacationers aren’t the only ones on the roads, since they’ll be “mixing with commuters who have to work Thursday and Friday before Labor Day” as well as the “many families [who] will be vacating their summer retreats and heading home—and still others who may be moving their children to college.”
The busiest drive times for the long weekend will be Thursday, August 31, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., followed by Friday, September 1, between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m, according to AAA and global transportation data company INRIX‘s joint Labor Day road forecast.
Breaking down the data day by day, Wednesday, August 30, and Thursday, August 31, will be the busiest between 12 noon and 8 p.m., with the best travel times being before 7 a.m. On Friday, September 1, the peak 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. traffic can be avoided by leaving before 11 a.m. On both Saturday, September 2, and Monday, September 4, peak periods start at 10 a.m. and go until 4 p.m. on Saturday and 6 p.m. on Monday. Leaving late—after 6 p.m. on Saturday or after 7 p.m. on Monday—should help to cut down on drive times. The best bet: Sunday, September 3, when only minimal impact is projected.
The study also analyzed which metro routes will have the most congestion, with the highest being an 88 percent increase in travel time between Los Angeles and Bakersfield on Interstate 5 Northbound on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., followed by a 71 percent increase between Seattle and Bellingham, also on Interstate 5 North, but on Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
The good news: there will be a bit of relief at the gas pump: After spiking last month, AAA predicts gas prices will mellow out to about $3.78 a gallon, which is about the same as this time last year.
Overall, Americans are ready and willing to take the steps needed to leave town for the long weekend. “Labor Day has always been perceived as the last hurrah for the summer leisure travel season,” Says Twidale. “But this year we anticipate it to be busier than normal because so many people postponed international travel for two or three years.”
