Labor Day weekend at the beginning of September marks the unofficial end of the summer travel season for the United States. However, it also signals one of the busiest weekends for air travel. Planning your travel dates carefully is essential.
A recent analysis report released by the U.S. personal finance company NerdWallet suggests that with this year’s record-breaking travel trends, the upcoming Labor Day weekend is likely to be busier than any previous Labor Day weekend.
Labor Day falls on the first Monday of September, which is September 2nd this year. Many people will be taking flights during this long weekend. Data from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) indicates that most travelers will depart on the previous Friday, enjoy a two-day holiday, and return home on Monday.
Following the pandemic, the United States has seen a surge in travel this year. According to TSA data, earlier this summer, U.S. airport passenger traffic reached new highs. On July 7th, the Sunday following the Fourth of July holiday, the number of passengers screened at U.S. airports set a new daily record with over 3 million individuals passing through TSA checkpoints.
If you plan to travel over the Labor Day weekend, be prepared for the crowds. However, some days will be busier than others.
Choosing less popular travel dates can help you avoid crowds and save money. Based on the average from the past four years, the top five busiest days around Labor Day are, in order: the Friday before Labor Day, Labor Day Monday, the Sunday after Labor Day, the Thursday before Labor Day, and the Friday after Labor Day.
The top five least crowded days are: the Tuesday before Labor Day, the Saturday after Labor Day, the Wednesday after Labor Day, the Wednesday before Labor Day, and the Saturday before Labor Day.
When dividing travel into pre-Labor Day and post-Labor Day categories, here are the three least crowded travel days ranked from least to most crowded:
Pre-Labor Day: Tuesday before Labor Day, Wednesday before Labor Day, Saturday before Labor Day.
Post-Labor Day: Saturday after Labor Day, Wednesday after Labor Day, Tuesday after Labor Day.
In the seven days surrounding Labor Day (including Labor Day itself), the Friday before Labor Day has been the busiest day each year for the past three years.