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Traveling for Labor Day? Experts reveal the best time to fly, drive and buy gas
Over 17 million Americans are set to travel by plane this Labor Day weekend, making it one of the busiest travel periods in the holiday's history, authorities estimate.
Experts are urging travelers to plan well ahead of time to escape the crowds ahead of the weekend, which marks the unofficial end to summer.
'Americans see the extended Labor Day weekend as an opportunity to say farewell to summer with one final trip,' AAA Vice President of Travel Debbie Haas said.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) expects flight passenger volumes to be 8.5 percent higher than this time last year.
Here DailyMail.com breaks down the best advice for how to avoid long queues this Labor Day weekend.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is expecting to screen over 17 million fliers this year
What's the best time to fly?
Travelers will likely have the best experience if they choose to fly before and after the holiday begins.
Jetting off on the Tuesday or Wednesday will give fliers a better chance of traveling for the holiday and ignoring busy airports, according to NerdWallet.
Another option is flying home the day before Labor Day, which can also help fliers avoid the busy crowds.
When will airports be busy?
TSA is expecting August 30 to be 'peak travel day,' and airline officials are expected to screen 2.86 million fliers
TSA is expecting August 30 to be 'peak travel day,' and airline officials are expected to screen 2.86 million fliers, according to an August 21 news release.
'People are traveling more than ever this summer and TSA along with our airline and airport partners stand ready to close the busiest summer travel period on record during this upcoming Labor Day weekend,' TSA Administrator David Pekoske said.
However, because of the amount of screeners during the travel period, it will take fliers 30 minutes or less to get through a regular line.
Labor Day weekend travelers may also be in busier environments depending on their airlines, primarily those who fly American Airlines.
American Airlines confirmed its busiest flying days this week are on Thursday and Friday and is scheduled to have 6,400 flights per day.
The airline also scheduled 6,300 flights on Labor Day itself.
To avoid the risk missing their flight, travelers should arrive early. TSA advises fliers to arrive at the airport two to three hours before boarding with properly packed carry-ons.
What happens if my flight is delayed or canceled?
Airlines could automatically rebook fliers if their flight is delayed or canceled during the holiday weekend, unless a traveler wants a refund
Flight delays or cancellations are common for reasons like mechanical problems, overbooking, or weather.
Experts advise Labor Day weekend travelers who are worried about the possibility of checking their itinerary before heading to the airport.
Airlines could automatically rebook travelers for another flight.
'Get on the phone (to the airline’s help center), get in front of an agent, reach out to the airline via social media if you have to, but find out what the other options are,' says Julian Kheel, the founder and CEO of Points Path.
'You can almost always find another option that may work better than the one offered by the airline.'
In some cases, airlines could offer refunds for travelers who don't want to rebook another flight.
All major US airlines except for Frontier could also help when covering the cost of a hotel, meal, and ground transportation depending on cancellations for reasons other than weather.
When should I drive on Labor Day weekend?
Experts advised Labor Day weekend drivers to leave after evening rush hour on Thursday or Friday
Travelers who are opting to drive this year should watch out for heavy traffic at certain times every day between August 29 and September 3.
Motorists wishing to hit the road on Thursday or Friday before Labor Day should plan to leave before morning and evening rush hour if they want to avoid traffic jams with work commuters.
'Drivers should expect the most severe traffic jams before the holiday weekend as commuters mix with travelers,' said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX.
The best time to drive on Thursday is anytime before 11:00am, while travelers cruising the highway on Friday should leave before noon or after 7:00pm, according to AAA.
Saturday travelers should also consider hitting the road after noon, but before 12:00 on Sunday.
Experts have advised Labor Day travelers to drive before 10:00 am on the holiday and anytime after 1:00 the next day.
Pishue also advised travelers who want to keep a close eye on traffic do so by 'monitoring traffic apps, local news stations, and 511 traveler information services.'
How much can I expect to pay to travel?
The average price of gas per gallon is $3.44, which is a vast improvement compared to last year's $3.86 average
Motorists worried about gas prices this holiday weekend period are in luck following a nationwide drop in costs at the pump.
This year, the average price per gallon is $3.44, which is a vast improvement compared to last year's $3.86 average, according to AAA.
Electric vehicle drivers are required to pay around 34 cents per kilowatt of power at an L2 commercial charging station, which is way above Kansas and Missouri's average of under 525.
However, that price is better compared to the average cost in states like New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Kentucky.
Fliers are lucky this year since this year's average airfare has significantly decreased this summer.
'Now we're falling into that traditional fall season when demand slumps, and you’re also seeing that in airfares,' said Steve Hafner, CEO of Kayak.
'Airfares are down from the summer about 26 percent already, and they're down even from the previous fall, about 4 percent.'