AAA: Labor Day weekend marks unofficial end of summer for travelers
With summer winding down, many Americans are heading out of town. AAA booking data for flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises show Labor Day weekend travel is up over last year: domestic bookings are up four percent, and international bookings are up 44 percent.
“As summer ends and school begins, many families are taking advantage of Labor Day weekend to head out of town for a few days,” said Bevi Powell, senior vice president, AAA East Central. “The long holiday weekend provides another opportunity to travel, whether planning a road trip to visit family and friends or deciding to take that dream trip to Canada or even Europe.”
AAA booking data shows Vancouver, Rome, London, Dublin and Paris are the five most popular international destinations over Labor Day weekend. Compared to 2022, international hotel bookings for the holiday are up 82 percent, and international cruise bookings are up 44 percent. Canada is popular this time of year because of its cooler temperatures and stunning scenery. Europe has seen a surge in travel this year, with more people eager to see the world again without restrictions.
The top 5 domestic destinations are Seattle, Orlando, Anchorage, New York and Las Vegas. Seattle tourism has been boosted by the strong demand for Alaska cruises. Florida destinations are popular not only for their beaches and theme parks but also for their cruise ports in Central Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Miami. AAA data show domestic-cruise bookings over Labor Day weekend are up 19 percent compared to 2022.
Drivers taking road trips this Labor Day weekend will likely see slightly higher gas prices compared to last year. The national average for a gallon of regular was $3.78 on Labor Day 2022 but has been above $3.80 for the past couple of weeks. Gas prices have spiked this summer because of tight supply and the high cost of oil.
A new survey of AAA travel advisers reveals topics and trends on the minds of travelers this summer:
• 59 percent of AAA Travel Advisers have seen more interest in travel insurance over the past 60 days.
• 83 percent of AAA Travel Advisers say the most common concern from travelers over the past 60 days was getting stranded by a delayed or canceled flight.
• 64 percent of AAA Travel Advisers say travelers who booked extended vacations (at least 14 nights) said having more time to explore destinations was their main reason for taking an extended trip.
• AAA Travel Advisers are seeing high interest among travelers for ocean and river cruises, plus all-inclusive and guided-tour vacations.
AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 69 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.