How to Ease the Labor Day Travel Crush

Traveling over this Labor Day weekend?

If so, you’ll be among 34.1 million other Americans AAA expects to be driving or flying over this year’s holiday weekend. That’s a 4.2 percent increase over last year and the highest number since the recession put the kibosh on discretionary trips five years ago.

Of the total, 85 percent will drive, eight percent will fly, and the rest will travel by bus, train, and so on.

Flights will be full, airport lines will be long, and highways will be chock-a-block.

The heaviest travel days will be Friday, August 30, and Monday, September 2.

So, how to ease the travel crush?

Realistically, the best holiday travelers can hope to do is skirt the worst bottlenecks. That means traveling on off-peak days, at off-peak times, to lower-demand destinations. Be a contrarian traveler, in other words. An early-morning flight on Thursday to Omaha is going to be less stressful, in every way, than a Friday afternoon flight to Oahu.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sign Up

Stuck traveling at peak times? Then the focus shifts to maximizing comfort. Use those miles you’ve been hoarding for an upgrade to first class. Buy a day pass to the airport lounge. To avoid the scrum at the baggage carousel, pay extra to have your bags shipped to your destination.

Sometimes the journey is the destination. On Labor Day weekend, the journey is just the journey.

Reader Reality Check

Will you be traveling over Labor Day? Are you looking for ward to the journey, or the destination?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.

You Might Also Like:

• 10 Roadside Foods You Should Never Eat
• 10 Scenic Boat Trips That Won’t Sink Your Budget
• Unforgettable North American Coastal Villages