Labor Day domestic travel expected to surge 9%
With Labor Day weekend upon us, it’s time to get in those last few days — or weeks — of summer weather.
With many people attempting to do the same thing this weekend, AAA is projecting domestic travel will be up by 9% compared to last year, with those people set to travel 50 miles or more from home.
“Every year since the height of the pandemic, travel has increased more and more each year,” Tiffany Stanley, public and community relations manager with AAA said. “With people traveling more, they are able to hit those bucket list vacations.”
On the flip side, AAA is predicting that international travel over Labor Day weekend will go down by 4% compared to last year, with contributing factors including inflation, which has driven up international travel costs by 11%.
“We will still have an increase in domestic travel, so you can still expect the airports to be packed with people traveling to other cities like Seattle, which is going to be our No. 1 destination this weekend,” Stanley said. “That is up by 30% from last year.”
Stanley said the general rule of thumb for domestic car travel is to leave as early in the day as possible, especially on Aug. 29 and 30, which are projected to be the busiest days for vehicle travel.
On Labor Day itself, which Stanley said is the busiest day for return travel, AAA recommends leaving your location before 10 a.m.
“It is hard to predict exactly what day will be the busiest, but this is a holiday, people leave early,” Stanley said.
According to AAA, the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.36 as of Aug. 29, which is down roughly 45 cents from this time last year.
The average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in Pennsylvania was $3.50, while the average price in Butler County stood at $3.60.
“Right now, crude oil is steady,” Stanley said. “Gas prices really don’t deter people whether they will travel or not. We can say crude oil is a huge part of that.”
Stanley also said that with the increased vehicle travel this coming weekend, AAA is anticipating roughly 300,000 service calls on the road for things such as flat tires, dead batteries and lockouts.
“I think it is important for people to take the time to get their vehicle inspected before they head out and always pack an emergency road service kit,” Stanley said.
According to David Shallenberger, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, the weather in Butler County for the holiday weekend appears to be mostly dry as of now, with the exception of Saturday, Aug. 31.
Friday, Aug. 30 is anticipated to be the hottest day for the long weekend, with a high of 87 degrees, with a 30% chance of rain in the later afternoon hours Shallenberger said.
“On Saturday (Aug. 31), we have a high of about 82 to 84 degrees,” Shallenberger said. “We are looking at the potential of a front to move through with a 90% chance of rainfall. There is a marginal risk for severe weather expected on Saturday. It’s most likely expected in the afternoon between 2 and 6 p.m.”
After the storm front moves through, Shallenberger expects the warm weather to continue on Sunday, Sept. 1, with a high of 84 degrees and no rainfall expected.
Shallenberger expects the dry weather to continue on Monday, Sept. 2, but the temperature may drop to a high of 74 degrees.
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