137 Million Americans Plan to Travel This Labor Day Weekend

A large majority of travelers will be traveling by car.

Editor's Note: We know COVID-19 is continuing to impact your travel plans. Should you travel now, be sure to familiarize yourself with the CDC's latest guidance on domestic and international travel as well as local requirements, protocols, and restrictions for both your destination upon your arrival and your home city upon your return. Be safe out there.

We did it. After revenge travel and flight delays and spending money we don't really have, we made it to the last holiday weekend of the summer. According to The Vacationer, an estimated 137 million people will be traveling for Labor Day weekend, which is more than 53% of the country.

Of those traveling, a little more than half—perhaps owing to the chaos that has roiled air travel lately—plan to travel by car. Which means the roads are going to be busy this weekend. According to Jerry, it's actually the most dangerous summer holiday for driving, especially Saturday. If you plan on being on the road on Saturday make sure to exercise plenty of caution.

As for when is the best time to make your journey, AAA advised Memorial Day weekend travelers that departures were best timed before 6 am and after 9 pm on Thursday and Friday, while your best best for returns would be Monday before 11 am.

The Vacationer also reports that about 59% of Labor Day travelers have had their plans affected by gas prices. A majority of survey respondents who are planning on going on a road trip said they would be traveling less than 1,000 miles for their trip.

No matter where you are going for the long weekend, make sure to be mindful of the millions of other people out to enjoy the last hoorah of summer.

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Opheli Garcia Lawler is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.