AAA Predicts Fewer Labor Day Travelers

Road blur The roads and skies may be a little less crowded during the coming Labor Day weekend than they were last year—but still quite busy—if predictions made by the American Automobile Association turn out to be correct.

The depressed economy and the fact that, for many, the holiday falls after the start of the school year, will likely translate into fewer travelers than in 2008.

But just how many fewer, and will it be enough to ease traffic bottlenecks?

According to a AAA report that was released on Monday, the number of travelers will fall by an estimated 13 percent.

In 2008, 45.1 million people took long weekend getaways, but only 39.1 million are expected to travel more than 50 miles from home this year. The figures were tallied by surveying 1,350 American households.

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Increased joblessness this year compared to last year is presumed to be a factor in the decline, but the late date of the holiday will be more of a factor. Ordinarily, Labor Day falls near the end of August or at the beginning of September, but this year it falls in the second week of the month. This can makes it difficult for those with school-age children to get away.

4×4 offroad trip Despite the expected decrease in travel compared to last year, the Labor Day weekend still promises to be one of the busiest in years. Though 2008 was the busiest of the decade, 2009 will likely be the third-strongest and will see more people hitting road than in the years 2004 through 2007.

The AAA report notes that 2008 was a banner year for Labor Day travel because gas prices, which had hovered around $4 per gallon for much of the summer and deterred people from using their cars, suddenly dropped by more than 50 cents just before the holiday.

This year fuel is 80 cents cheaper than it was last Labor Day, which may act as a motivator to those who have the time and money to get away. Many airlines, hotels, restaurants, and theme parks are also offering discounts to travelers as an incentive to get them out on the road and in the skies. Labor Day airfares, for example, are 17 percent lower this year than last year, and lodging is down an average of 12 percent.

More than 80 percent of those surveyed said that they would be traveling by car, which is typical for Labor Day weekend and other summer holiday weekends such as Independence Day. Trips will average 645 miles roundtrip, and average spending is pegged at $968 per household. Only 4 percent of vacationers plan to travel by air.

The Auto Club recommends that if you are traveling by car to get on the road as early as possible. Typically, outbound traffic is heaviest on Thursday and Friday in the afternoon and evening, while inbound traffic is heaviest on Sunday afternoon.

By Karen Elowitt for PeterGreenberg.com.

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