Labor Day weekend is fast approaching, and with it one of the busiest travel periods of the summer. Travel Agent has rounded up the latest forecasts on what to expect.
According to a new survey by Expedia, nearly 25 percent of American travelers plan to take a trip out of town this Labor Day weekend. The OTA also compiled flight booking data on the busiest destinations for the weekend:
- New York
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Orlando
- Chicago
- Seattle
- San Francisco
- Denver
- Dallas
- Atlanta
Also good to know: while travel interest in Las Vegas has doubled this year, prices are down 10 percent, according to the Expedia report. Prices also fell in Honolulu and Austin. From an international perspective, Reykjavik has seen nearly twice the travel interest this year, but prices are down 25 percent year over year. Paris and Barcelona are also seeing rising demand and savings of around 15 percent.
More Labor Day Travel Deals
Speaking of deals, other destinations and major hotel brands are rolling out last-minute deals for Labor Day travel. Orlando, Florida, is touting savings of between 10 and 30 percent on various packages this Labor Day weekend, including the romance-themed “Labor of Love” package at Rosen Shingle Creek and the “Labor Day Shop and Stay” package at the Crowne Plaza Orlando. Best Western is offering travelers the chance to save at its newest BW Premier Collection properties, the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino and Aquarius Casino Resort, while Marriott is offering savings of up to $89 on bookings in Washington, DC; Manhattan; Atlanta; Dallas and more.
Air Travel: Crowds, But Maybe Fewer Overbooked Flights
While major forecasts like AAA’s annual report are not yet available, early indications could point to a busy Labor Day weekend in the skies. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) reported continued strong growth in air travel demand in June, with demand up 7.8 percent year over year. That followed another strong month of growth in May, when demand was up 7.7 percent.
Overall, the U.S. leisure travel market is forecast to grow 6 percent this year, which could mean a busy time for airports nationwide.
At the same time, there are indications that passengers could experience fewer incidents of one of the biggest hassles in modern air travel: overbooked flights. According to the latest Air Travel Consumer Report from the U.S. Department of Transportation, involuntary denied boardings (DB’s) were down 29 percent since the April incident in which United Airlines prompted widespread outrage by having a bloodied passenger dragged from an overbooked flight. DB’s were also down for the first half of the year by 16 percent.
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