CNN
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Labor Day weekend will be busier than ever in many areas, but travelers will at least have one welcome relief: lower prices.

According to AAA, domestic travel during the 2024 Labor Day weekend will increase 9% compared to last year.

At U.S. airports, the Transportation Security Administration is bracing for the busiest Labor Day travel period ever, with passenger numbers up 8.5% compared to 2023. United Airlines and American Airlines said they expect their busiest Labor Day operations ever.

What many travelers are probably wondering is: Can the system withstand the pressure?

“It’s going to be busy. Millions of people are going to fly and even more people are going to drive. Barring extreme weather events, airlines should be able to handle the record numbers,” said Phil Dengler, co-founder of The Vacationer.

Lower airfares could help take the sting out of any airport congestion this holiday weekend. And Americans taking road trips will also find lower prices at the pump.

AAA reports that domestic travel costs over Labor Day weekend fell 2% compared to last year.

And compared to 2023, travel company Hopper sees a 5% drop in airfares for the Labor Day weekend. And airfares are down 17% compared to the 2019 holiday weekend before the Covid-19 pandemic. Hopper attributes the lower prices to high airline supply and more favorable fuel prices.

American drivers can also expect to pay less for gas if they take a road trip over the holiday weekend. The national average gas price over Labor Day weekend in 2023 was $3.81 per gallon, according to AAA. This year, prices have hovered around $3.50 per gallon in recent weeks.

According to AAA, summer road trips are popular, but changes in daily driving habits have reduced overall demand for gasoline.

TSA predicts the peak day for air travel will be Friday, when it expects to screen 2.86 million people. The agency said it is staffing during the holiday season “to meet wait time standards,” which are 10 minutes or less in TSA PreCheck lanes and 30 minutes or less in standard screening lanes.

The TSA expects to screen 17 million people during the holiday season from Thursday, August 29 through Wednesday, September 4.

While Dengler expects everything to go smoothly, he said it’s best to prepare for problems.

“Many people are concerned about flying after the CrowdStrike incident, but something this big is unlikely to happen over Labor Day weekend. Regardless, you should put yourself in the best possible position to handle a significant delay or cancellation before you book your flight,” he said.

“I recommend booking a direct flight to your destination and not checking any luggage. … Additionally, I recommend booking your flight with a credit card that has comprehensive travel insurance for trip delays and cancellations.”

Dengler also has this reminder: “If your flight is significantly delayed or canceled over Labor Day weekend, you are legally entitled to a cash refund if you decide not to travel.”

For drivers, one of the best strategies is to stay out of congested cities at crucial times, according to INRIX, which provides transportation data and insights. For this Labor Day weekend, the afternoon and early evening hours of Thursday and Friday should be the busiest. Click here for more specific forecasts for major cities, including New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles.

According to AAA, you’ll likely have plenty of company if you’re traveling to the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Seattle is the top destination for Labor Day weekend in 2024, up nearly 30% from last year when it also topped the list, AAA said. That’s because it’s a popular departure point for Alaska cruises, which are selling out for the weekend, AAA said. In Alaska, Anchorage and Juneau also made the top 10 destinations.

Major destinations in that region include Orlando, Florida and New York City.

According to AAA, Vancouver, British Columbia, is the most popular destination for Americans internationally, followed by a quartet of European favorites: Rome, London, Paris and Dublin.

AAA’s Nautical Travel: “This is the time of year to go on an Alaska cruise,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. “There are fewer people than earlier in the summer.”

When should we book those 2025 cruises? Now, says AAA.