US travelers set to end summer on a high note with record Labor Day air travel By Reuters

By Shivansh Tiwary

(Reuters) – U.S. airlines and airports are bracing for the busiest Labor Day weekend yet as record numbers of travelers pack their bags and prepare to jet off to make last summer’s trip before it ends the season.

The summer travel season, usually one of the busiest times for airlines and airports, saw robust passenger volumes this year despite harsh weather conditions including unprecedented heat waves and hurricanes.

Labor Day weekend, from Thursday, August 29 to Wednesday, September 4, is expected to see 17 million people pass through airport security, the busiest on record for the travel period, according to the government agency Transportation Security Administration (TSA). which guards the US transportation systems.

The agency anticipates an 8.5 percent increase in weekend passenger volume compared to a year earlier. It has already passed 239.8 million people since the Memorial Day weekend in May, which is an average of 2.7 million per day.

“People are traveling more than ever this summer, and TSA along with our airline and airport partners are poised to close the busiest summer travel period on record this coming Labor Day weekend,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske .

Labor Day is especially popular with families because it is the last long weekend before the school year starts for children in the United States.

According to booking data from AAA, a member organization that provides travel, roadside assistance and insurance services, the cost of weekend travel fell 2%.

Meanwhile, international travel bookings fell 4 percent from a year earlier, according to AAA.

Road trip enthusiasts may also be encouraged to hit the road this weekend as fuel prices have hovered around $3.50 per gallon. Prices were $3.38 last week, according to AAA. That compares with the national average of $3.81 a year earlier.

However, the increase in ridership is expected to lead to traffic congestion.

“Drivers should expect the worst traffic jams ahead of the holiday weekend as commuters mix with travelers,” said Bob Pishue, an analyst at transportation data provider INRIX.