AS everyone embarks on their last trip of the summer, Labor Day weekend is notorious for having some of the worst traffic conditions of the year.
But if your road trip is planned for certain times, delays may be able to be avoided.
The best time to hit the road, according to data, is before lunchtime.
According to INRIX, a transportation insights company, traffic conditions get much worse during the day, meaning that morning time is the best bet.
On Thursday, August 28, the best time to hit the streets is before 1 pm, with the brunt of the traffic hitting between 1 pm to 8 pm.
That Friday, August 29, the company recommends leaving earlier, as 12 pm to 8 pm will have the worst congestion.
On Saturday, they recommend to travel between 6 am to 10 am, as after that, conditions are expected to get much worse.
"Saturday is expected to be extra busy with many drivers heading out of town or taking day trips," according to AAA.
"[F]or those hitting the road on Saturday, the earlier, the better."
Luckily, the worst of it is expected to be over at around 6 p.m.
For Sunday, August 31, experts recommend leaving before 11 am.
On Monday, September 1, they say to travel by 12 pm.
"While some people are going on dream cruises or European vacations, many travelers are staying closer to home and taking road trips to nearby beaches or national parks," Stacey Barber, the vice president of AAA Travel, said.
"Labor Day caps off summer travel and provides one final holiday weekend before the fall routine begins."
One glimmer of hope can be found in travel prices this year, which are down from 2024.
Flights, hotels, and car rentals are all down domestically since this time last year.
According to The Boston Globe, every person renting a car should take a few minutes to check some boxes before committing to a rental car.
Source: The Boston Globe
Car rentals in particular are down 3% compared to last Labor Day weekend, according to AAA.
Hertz said that its busiest booking day this holiday is for Friday, August 29 — the day that's already predicted to be one of the busiest travel days of the entire weekend.
The top destinations for those rentals are Orlando, Denver, Boston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.
Gas prices are down, too.
The travel company said that the summer gas rates are down to 2021 levels.
Last year, Labor Day's national average per gallon price was $3.33.
The average on Tuesday, August 26, was $3.18.
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