Labor Day Travel Expected To Be Up Over ‘22

The Super Blue Moon is waning and Arkansans are heading to War Memorial Stadium for a Razorback football game.

Yes, it's Labor Day weekend 2023.

It's the unofficial end of summer, that time of year when kids get a break from school, after having just returned to school after a three-month break.

But afterwards, everybody's going to have to hunker down.

Right?

Labor Day travel is expected to be up over last year, according to AAA.

Domestic bookings are up 4% and international bookings are up 44%, according to North America's largest motoring and leisure travel organization.

"Most travelers will leave on Thursday or Friday to take advantage of the long holiday weekend," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. "Domestically, the Pacific Northwest, big cities like New York and Denver, and tourist hot spots like Orlando and Las Vegas are the most popular. Internationally, it's all about Europe and Canada."

The hottest spots for international travel are Vancouver, Rome, London, Dublin and Paris this Labor Day weekend, according to AAA.

International hotel bookings for the holiday are up 82% compared to 2022 and international cruise bookings are up 44% over last year, according to AAA.

Europe has seen a surge in travel all year, according to AAA. More people are eager to travel abroad without restrictions.

The top 5 domestic destinations are Seattle, Orlando, Anchorage, New York and Las Vegas, according to AAA.

Travel from Arkansas' largest airports is also expected to be up.

"It's been a busy summer with increases in passenger traffic we haven't experienced since 2009," said Shane Carter, a spokesman for Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field in Little Rock.

He said Thursday and today are projected to be the busiest days of the holiday period with a 14% increase in travelers over last year.

Be sure to give yourself extra time, particularly if flying out in the morning, said Carter.

At the Northwest Arkansas National Airport in Highfill, enplanements are exceeding pre-pandemic levels, said Olivia Moore, a spokesperson for the airport.

"We are likely to mirror the national projection of a busy Labor Day weekend," said Moore.

She said passengers should arrive at the airport at least two hours before their expected departure time during the next few days.

"We are equipped to handle a high volume of passengers, but there are a few ways that XNA passengers can get through the airport more efficiently," said Moore. "Passengers can prebook parking on our website, www.flyxnaparking.com. This will allow for a more convenient travel experience. Secondly, passengers can check our website, www.flyxna.com/security for an estimated wait time range at TSA. This will give passengers an idea of how busy it is at security."

For many, Labor Day is a road-trip weekend.

Drivers will likely see gas prices similar to last year, according to AAA. The national average for a gallon of regular was $3.78 on Labor Day 2022.

As of late Thursday, the average price nationally for a gallon of regular gas was $3.83, while the average price in Arkansas was $3.41 per gallon. A year ago, the average price for regular gas in Arkansas was $3.34 per gallon.

"This summer, gas prices spiked in July because of tight supply and the high cost of oil," according to AAA. "The month of August has brought some relief and, barring a major storm in the Gulf of Mexico, prices should remain steady -- or even go down -- heading into Labor Day weekend."

While damage assessments are still being made in the wake of Hurricane Idalia, pump prices have remained in neutral.

"Oil and gas experts have noted that overall gasoline demand this summer failed to match previous years, with consumption getting little 'lift' from vacation travel this summer despite retail gasoline prices below last year's," according to AAA. "There is a lot of speculation as to why, but no one seems to know for sure."

"With visits to the pump rather flat and the price of oil hovering around the $80 per barrel mark, the national average for a gallon of gas will likely stay where it is through this holiday weekend," said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. "Hurricane Idalia may cause regional price jumps due to station damage, flooded roads, and power outages, but as in past years, these things are usually fixed in a few weeks."

Today will be one of the busiest days on the roads, according to INRIX, a global provider of transportation data and insights. Higher than normal traffic volumes are predicted especially 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," said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. "If you must travel during heavy traffic, navigation apps and local departments of transportation can help steer drivers around long delays."

For folks in the Natural State, he would be referring to https://www.idrivearkansas.com, a helpful service from the Arkansas Department of Transportation.

Thousands travel through Orlando International Airport on Labor Day