If you plan on driving this holiday weekend, there are times you should avoid and times you should plan for.
United States — With the unofficial end of summer fast approaching and Labor Day weekend fast approaching, many are looking to enjoy one last break before the new school year begins.
The Transportation Security Administration said travel is expected to increase by nearly 9% to a new record over the Labor Day weekend, which began Thursday and runs through next Wednesday, meaning about 17 million passengers will be screened at airports across the country, including Midland International Air and Space Port.
Friday is expected to be the busiest day, with the TSA expecting 2.8 million passengers.
However, more and more people are using roads rather than just planes.
Regardless of destination, highways and byways are expected to be busy, and travelers are taking advantage of gas prices that are about 50 cents a gallon lower than last year, according to AAA.
If you’re planning on driving this holiday weekend, here’s what times to avoid and what to aim for.
- Thursday: Depart before 11am (worst case: 1pm to 7:30pm)
- Friday: Please leave before noon.
- Saturday: Departure after noon.
- Sunday: Please leave before noon.
- Monday: Depart before 10am
- Tuesday: Departure after 1pm
But travelers are also taking advantage of low domestic airfares, with many choosing domestic destinations like Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and even Alaska instead of weekend trips to the Caribbean or Europe.
However you choose to travel, make sure to plan accordingly: Atlanta, already the world’s busiest airport, is expected to maintain that status over Labor Day weekend with 9,000 flights and 1.1 trillion booked seats.
So whether your flight is already booked or your bags are loaded in the car, the best advice is to plan ahead. Don’t wait until the last minute. If your airport offers CLEAR and PreCheck, take advantage of them, stay hydrated, and make a plan.
