Labor Day weekend is shaping up to be a busier travel weekend than it was last year, capping off a summer of chaotic travel for many Americans.
The big picture: Domestic travel bookings for Labor Day weekend, which includes air travel, cars, cruises, hotels and tours are up 22% from 2021 — and international travel bookings are up 104%, per AAA travel data.
- The top domestic destinations are Seattle, Orlando and Las Vegas.
Between the lines: The average lowest airfare is at about $179 per ticket, per AAA, which is an almost 20% increase from 2021 — and a 30% increase from 2020.
State of play: The uptick in travel comes after a summer of travel woes, particularly for airlines, which are largely understaffed and have struggled to keep up with the resurgence of travel since the pandemic.
- Pilots at more than a dozen airports nationwide are also picketing this week in a call for better work conditions and benefits amid a summer of "revenge travel," Axios' Herb Scribner reports.
- Travelers going by car will enjoy lower gas prices from record highs: The national average gas price has dropped to $3.809 per gallon, according to AAA. Earlier this month, prices retreated to below $4 a gallon for the first time since early March.
Go deeper... Gas prices are down ahead of Labor Day, but here's how to save
