After a record summer for air travel Officials expect the Labor Day weekend to end the summer with a few more exceptionally busy days at U.S. airports.
The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen more than 17 million people nationwide — a ridership about 8.5% above the total from this time last year — in what would be the busiest Labor Day travel period on record, according to to a press release from the agency. It classifies the period from Thursday to Wednesday as Labor Day travel.
Officials expect Friday to be the peak travel day at U.S. airports, when 2.86 million people are expected to be screened. That day is also when Los Angeles International Airport expects to see the largest number of travelers over the weekend.
Air travel hit a record high on July 7, when more than 3 million people went through TSA lines — the most ever in a single day, according to TSA officials. It tops the list of the 10 busiest days in airport travel history, all of which have occurred since May 2024, the agency said.
“People are traveling more than ever this summer, and TSA along with our airline and airport partners are poised to end the busiest summer travel season ever this coming Labor Day weekend,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a statement.
Road travel is also expected to soar this weekend, with gas prices are creeping up across California before the surge in vacation travel. According to Auto Club of Southern Californiathe four most popular local destinations for people venturing out of the Los Angeles area will be San Diego, Anaheim, the Grand Canyon, and the Central Coast.
For Americans taking to the air, Seattle is the top destination for Labor Day travel, according to AAA.
Airport officials encourage anyone planning to fly this weekend to arrive early, make sure you have acceptable ID – a government-issued photo ID or driver’s license (preferably a real IDwhich will be required by the TSA starting in May) or a passport – and use any available passenger assistance or pre-screening services. For those who drive, experts recommend leaving early in the morning to avoid heavier traffic in the afternoons, especially Sunday and Monday.