What’s going on with Labor Day Travel this year?
A record 17.5 million passengers are expected to travel on U.S.-based airlines this Labor Day Weekend, according to a report released by Airlines for America. That means LAX is going to see their busiest day on Friday, Aug. 30, it should see just under 3 million people will boarding a U.S. airline.
According to Booking.com’s 2019 Travel Predictions, half of travelers in the US plan to take weekend trips in 2019 (50%) Also gas prices for the holiday weekend are lining up to be the lowest in 2-3 years (15% lower than last years) which could impact the amount of road travel people intend to do in the LA and neighboring areas.
However, there are still deals to be had and some ways to avoid the crowds if you book smartly…
If you are looking to fly, track flights and be flexible with your dates – start tracking flights and hotel deals for last-minute alerts, so they can send out an alert when the price drops. For Labor Day weekend, to get the best hotel rates, is actually to check in Saturday and check out on Tuesday. Traveling in the middle of the week will almost always guarantee you a cheaper fare as well.
Use a booking site – sites like Booking.com have a tonne of great Labor Day Deals at hundreds of properties across the U.S – starting at 20% off. In fact, their data shows one in four travelers want someone to do the hard work for them…which makes sense! For family-friendly trips find East Coast deals in places like Fort Lauderdale or Washington DC. For a city escape look no further than spots like up north in San Fran or across the state in New York…
So New York eh? Yup, you can still snag travel deals in the heart of NYC. Hotel Pennsylvania for example is not only located in Midtown Manhattan, but is offering 25% off, valid through Sept 8th. Celebrating 100 years, the hotel is in the throes of an extraordinary top-to-bottom modernization, and puts the best of New York City at your fingertips (think sensational guestroom views of the Empire State Building and access a block away to Madison Square Garden and Macy’s.)4.Consider a road trip, particularly if you have a large family or want to save on flights…or even a train trip!
Metrolink Service will be available on Labor Day for only $10 – providing service to the LA County Fair on Labor Day with a special stop at the Fairplex Station and a special 8:30 p.m. train to L.A. Union Station so fairgoers can enjoy a full day of fun. Labor Day is a great opportunity for Southern Californians to use Metrolink to travel around the region for a day-cation. Riders can travel directly to Oceanside and San Clemente beaches, take in local history and culture throughout Orange County or explore Los Angeles and Hollywood.