The upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend is expected to be a busy time for U.S. airports and airlines, as more than 20 million passengers are set to fly out to both international and cooler destinations. This marks a 14% increase from the same period last year, continuing the trend of increased international travel in recent months.
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The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is projecting that over 14 million passengers will be screened between September 1 and September 6. According to TSA Administrator David Pekoske, passenger volumes are expected to be nearly 11% higher than last year's numbers, which already exceeded the 2019 Labor Day holiday travel volumes.
In recent months, U.S. travelers have been flying overseas more frequently, taking advantage of flexible work arrangements, the end of coronavirus testing mandates, and a strong U.S. dollar. Compared to last year, international bookings for flights, hotels, rental cars, and cruises for the Labor Day weekend have increased by 44%, while domestic bookings have only risen by 4%, according to travel group AAA.
Companies like Airbnb and Marriott with a larger international footprint have reported strong earnings, and they forecast strong future demand due to robust global travel and higher room rates. AAA reports that Vancouver, Rome, London, Dublin, and Paris are the top five destinations for the long weekend, and domestic cruise bookings are up 19% compared to the previous year. According to Hopper, airfare for domestic getaways is averaging $226 per ticket, which is down 11% from last year and 20% lower from the Labor Day weekend in 2019. Despite the expected demand, Hurricane Idalia has caused travel disruptions in certain regions of the United States, with over 1,500 flights delayed and 60 flights canceled due to the storm's impact on the Big Bend region of Florida earlier this week.