Labor Day Travel 2017: What To Expect If You're Flying

Labor Day is a notoriously busy time to travel, and 2017 is expected to see record highs in the days ahead of and after the official holiday — particularly for travelers who plan to fly. Airlines for America announced this month that it expected 16.1 passengers worldwide would fly on United States carriers during the timeframe.

The spike in holiday travelers went up by 5 percent from last year’s estimation for the same seven-day period. Airlines for America said in a press release earlier this month that “airlines are adding 133,000 seats per day across their networks to accommodate the expected increase in demand.”

Friday, Sept. 1 is expected be the busiest time to travel, but attempting to get around Monday, Sept. 4 will also prove difficult. The reason for the spike in travelers over the holiday? Household income jumps and low fare prices.

“As household wealth increases, ticket prices remain low and airlines large and small continue to grow, consumers are finding it easier and more affordable than ever to get away for personal or family travel,” John Heimlich, Airlines for America Vice President and Chief Economist, said in a statement.

But Airlines for America says that shouldn’t worry flyers too much.

“While we expect a growth in passenger traffic over the Labor Day holiday, flyers can rest assured that U.S. airlines have appropriately increased the number of seats available for their late summer getaways,” Heimlich said.

For folks who are forgoing travel over the long weekend, now could be the time to book a vacation for the future. The end of August kicked off what will be a period of discounted airfare that continues through November. Travel experts agree that now is the time to get the best value on the dollar for both domestic and international airfare.

As International Business Times previously reported, travelers can potentially save hundreds of dollars flying to premier vacation destinations like Rome or Madrid. Those looking to book flights domestically can see savings of between $20-50, depending on the destination and the flexibility of booking dates.

“[I]t’s the start of the off peak season,” Sanjay Hathiramani, Global SVP of Supplier Relations for CheapOair, said in a statement last month. “Fares are going to continue to stay low until Thanksgiving. Especially for those looking for deals to international destinations, the time to book your tickets [is] during this window, beginning at the end of August.”