COLUMBUS – Anyone squeezing in one last summer trip over the Labor Day weekend should expect lots of company on the highway and in the airport.
The auto club AAA expects holiday weekend travel to be busier this year than in 2022, on the road, in the air and for those who are cruising as well.
As usual, most Labor Day travelers will drive to their holiday destinations, and AAA analysts say gas prices, which have been on the rise since mid-July, are not expected to deter those who want to get away.
Despite the recent increase, the price at the pump is actually about the same as it was over the holiday weekend last year.
The average price in Ohio Friday morning was $3.62 a gallon, 5 cents lower than last year and 20 cents below the national average.
Labor Day weekend gas prices
Ohio……………………$3.62
Columbus……………$3.65
Cincinnati……………$3.66
Cleveland……………$3.60
Kentucky…………….$3.49
Toledo………………..$3.64
W. Virginia…………..$3.64
Indiana……………….$3.66
Michigan……………..$3.71
Pennsylvania……….$3.87
Source: AAA
It’s not just roads that will be busy.
The Federal Aviation Administration predicts that this will be the third busiest holiday weekend of the year so far, behind Juneteenth and Presidents Day.
The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen more than 14 million passengers from Friday through Wednesday, up nearly 11% over the same weekend last year.
TSA Administrator David Pekoske warned that at times it could take more than 30 minutes to get through security and more than 10 minutes in PreCheck lanes, “so we encourage you to arrive early, pack your patience.” The agency recommended that travelers get to the airport two hours before their flight.
AAA said bookings for domestic travel — flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises — are running 4% higher than Labor Day last year.