Traveling on Labor Day Weekend? Have a contingency plan for cancellations or delays, and be patient

Many kids across the U.S. are back at school and the times are getting shorter, but there’s yet another opportunity to don your swimsuits and beach towels before packing them away: Labor Day.

Airports, highways, beaches and amusement parks are expected to be crowded over the long holiday weekend as many Americans rejoice the unofficial end of summer the identical way they celebrated the unofficial start of the season: by traveling.

The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen greater than 17 million people between Thursday and next Wednesday — a record for the Labor Day holiday.

AAA says domestic travel bookings over the vacation weekend were up 9% 12 months over 12 months, while international travel bookings were down 4%.

American Airlines plans to host its biggest Labor Day weekend ever and expects a 14 percent increase in passengers over last 12 months.

If you are heading out to benefit from the last moments of summer, here’s a list of every thing it is advisable to know.

What are the costs?

Drivers are getting a break on gas in comparison with last 12 months. The national average was recently $3.44 a gallon, down from $3.86 a 12 months ago, in response to AAA.

For electric vehicles, the typical price per kilowatt of power at a industrial L2 charging station is about 34 cents. The average is below 25 cents in Kansas and Missouri, but exceeds 40 cents in several states, including New Hampshire, Tennessee and Kentucky. Hawaii is the most costly, at 56 cents.

Average airfares in July fell 7.1% from June and 2.8% from July 2023, in response to the federal government’s consumer price index. That trend appears to be accelerating as the height holiday season draws to a close.

“We’re now entering the traditional fall season, when demand drops, and that’s reflected in airfares,” said Steve Hafner, CEO of travel metasearch site Kayak. “Airfares are already down about 26% compared to the summer, and even down about 4% compared to last fall.”

When is the most effective time to hit the road?

If you plan to start out driving on the Thursday or Friday before Labor Day, you’ll be sharing the road with commuters. You will probably want to leave before the morning rush hour or even within the evening to avoid traffic.

Transport data provider INRIX says the worst time to drive on Thursday is between 1pm and 7.30pm, and on Friday between 2pm and 6pm. The situation changes on Saturday, when it’s best to avoid driving between 8am and 11am.

According to INRIX, the return journey will be strenuous all day long on Monday — from 11:00 a.m. to eight:00 p.m.

Beware of dangerous drivers. New data from Arity, a part of insurance giant Allstate, shows that speeding above 80 mph is up 83%, and “very high speed” — above 100 mph — is up greater than 50%.

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In a surprising twist, though, Arity claims that distracted driving has actually declined over the past three Labor Days.

When will airports be busiest?

Friday, in response to the TSA. The agency expects to go looking 2.86 million people who day. While impressive, that number wouldn’t even rank in the highest 15 days in TSA history. The single-day record of three.01 million was set July 7, the Sunday after Independence Day.

TSA says it has enough screeners to maintain wait times in regular lines to half-hour or less and not more than 10 minutes in PreCheck lines.

American Airlines says Thursdays and Fridays will be its busiest days, with 6,400 flights per day; the subsequent day is Labor Day itself, when the carrier has 6,300 flights scheduled.

What should I do if my flight is delayed or canceled?

First, check your travel plans before heading to the airport. It’s higher to be stuck at home than stuck on the airport.

If your flight is canceled, the airline may routinely rebook you. This may not be the most effective option.

“Call (the airline’s help center), talk to an agent, reach out to the airline on social media if you have to, but find out what other options there are,” says Julian Kheel, founder and CEO of Points Path, a browser extension that lets users compare prices with frequent flyer points. “You can almost always find another option that might work better than the one the airline is offering.”

Kheel said agents on the airport have more leeway to assist, but they may be swamped if there are a lot of canceled flights. Rebooking on your individual on the airline’s website or app can be faster, he said.

Calling Tip: Some experts say that in case your airline has international helpline numbers, you need to call one in all those numbers. This will connect you quicker than for those who were calling from the U.S.

What about returns and refunds?

Airlines are required to refund money — including fees — to passengers whose flights are canceled for any reason. They aren’t required to pay money compensation, nonetheless, and no major U.S. airline does so. Only Alaska, Southwest and JetBlue even promise travel vouchers if the cancellation is their fault.

If you’re stranded overnight, ask your airline about covering hotel, meals and ground transportation. All major U.S. airlines except Frontier promise to assist with all three forms of “managed” disruptions, in response to the Department of Transportation’s dashboard of airline policies. But those commitments don’t apply to weather-related cancellations.

Keep receipts for all expenses incurred in case it is advisable to make a claim later.

Some final suggestions

— Leave early. Everything will take longer than you expect, including getting through airport security. If you plan to park on the airport, be certain there are spaces available while you arrive—many airports now publish this information online.

— Watch the weather. Even if the skies are clear at home, there could be storms at your flight destination or along your route. Prepare a backup route.

— Be nice. Flight cancellations and bumper-to-bumper traffic are frustrating, but you won’t be the just one stuck. Customer service agents are busy during peak travel periods, so it’s vital to be patient and respectful as they struggle to make it easier to.