Labor Day weekend 2021 can be a bit tricky due to the number of Delta variant cases in the US. AAA spokesperson Julie Hall thinks that “travel volumes around Labor Day are expected to remain high”. But just how high is it?
Travel data company Arrivalist predicts 42.9 million Americans are going on road trips for Labor Day weekend 2021. That’s a 1% drop from last year when there wasn’t a vaccine rollout yet.
Last Minute Travelers
TripAdvisor discovered in their recent survey that 31% of Americans are planning to travel this year for Labor Day weekend. The site discovered that 22% are still undecided. Also, TripAdvisor noticed the popularity of short-notice travel plans. 70% of trips booked on their platform in the first week of August were for travel plans within the next three weeks.
TripAdvisor also noticed that there is a growing popularity among Americans who are searching for terms such as “free cancellation”. This could mean that travelers are looking for flexible options in case they change their minds at the last minute.
Domestic Destinations Over International Travel
Unfortunately, international travel will remain low. 86% of Americans are traveling domestically according to TravelAdvisory. Cars.com discovered that 63% of Americans are going farther than where they’ve traveled last Labor Day weekend.
Some of the most popular destinations in the US include Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orlando, Denver, Chicago, New York City, and Seattle. It is surprising to see travelers opting for big cities as the need for social distancing becomes a norm. Some experts believe that it could be because of the extensive health facilities in cities compared to rural areas.
No Formal Travel Forecast by AAA
American Automobile Association (AAA) calls this year’s labor day weekend as unpredictable. AAA hasn’t created a formal travel forecast for this year. According to an AAA spokesperson, “The Labor Day holiday of years ago has changed, especially with so many schools starting earlier now”.
However, AAA believes that Thursday and Friday afternoons from 3 to 6 PM will be the busiest times for those who are going to drive.
