Travelers wait for transportation at Los Angeles International Airport ahead of the Labor Day holiday on Friday.
Mario Tama/Getty Images
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Mario Tama/Getty Images
This summer’s record-breaking tourist season isn’t over yet.
This Labor Day weekend is expected to be the busiest holiday ever at airports — with 17 million passengers scheduled to fly through Wednesday, Transportation Security Administration speak.
On Friday, there were more than 8,000 flight delays and 450 flight cancellations affecting flights in, into or out of the United States. By Saturday afternoon, there were 1,800 flight delays and 180 flight cancellations, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware.
American Automobile Association reported that domestic travel this weekend is up 9% compared to last year. Travel to Seattle — the most popular Labor Day destination — is also up nearly 30% compared to last year, when the city also topped the list. Alaska cruises are sold out for the weekend, according to AAA booking data.
AAA said international travel over the Labor Day weekend was down 4% from last year. AAA said the cost of international travel, which increased 11%, may have been a factor.
Meanwhile, for those who love road travel, average price for gas This weekend in the United States is lower than it has been this year — down to about $3.35 for a gallon of regular gas from $3.82 a year ago. AAA said it is preparing to rescue more than 300,000 drivers stranded in the coming days by flat tires, dead batteries and locked out doors.
This busy Labor Day weekend caps off a historic summer for travel. TSA says the agency’s 10 busiest days on record took place this summer starting in May. On July 7, TSA screened a record 3 million bags in a single day.
