2023 Labor Day Travel Outlook

Summary:

• Good Deal Airfare for domestic Labor Day weekend trips is averaging $226 per ticket. Prices are down 11% from last year and down 20% from Labor Day weekend 2019. 

• Hotel stays in the US are averaging $215 per night, up 3.8% from this time last year. 

• Car rentals are averaging $41 per day, down 14.5% from this time last year. 

• More than 20 million seats will depart from US airports from Thursday to Tuesday of Labor Day Weekend, an increase of 14% compared to this time last year. 

• Airports will be busiest on Friday before the long weekend with 3.7MM seats expected to depart from airports across the US. Monday is the busiest day to return, seeing 3.6MM seats departing at the end of the long weekend. 

• Atlanta and Denver will be busiest over the long weekend, with each expecting 1.5MM and 1MN seats to depart respectively. Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago will also be hot spots with more than 800K seats scheduled to depart. 

Airfare

Airfare for domestic getaways this Labor Day weekend is averaging $226 per ticket, down 11% from last year and down 20% from Labor Day weekend 2019. 

American travelers are in luck, prices to most destinations have improved compared to LDW last year!  Weekend getaways to beaches in Mexico and the Caribbean are averaging between $350 - $430 per ticket, down as much as 10% from this time last year. Airfare to Europe for long weekend trips is averaging $1,132 per ticket, down nearly 10% from last year but still elevated compared to 2019. 

Busiest Airports 

More than 20 million seats will depart from US airports from Thursday to Tuesday of Labor Day Weekend, an increase of 14% compared to this time last year. Domestic capacity will rise 14% vs last year while international capacity will rise 10%. Airports will be busiest on Friday before the long weekend with 3.7MM seats expected to depart from airports across the US. Monday is the busiest day to return, seeing 3.6MM seats departing at the end of the long weekend. 

Atlanta and Denver will be busiest over the long weekend, with each expecting 1.5MM and 1MN seats to depart respectively. Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago will also be hot spots with more than 800K seats scheduled to depart. 

Accommodations

Hotel stays in the US are averaging $215 per night, up 3.8% from this time last year. Nightly rates in Puerto Rico, a popular destination for LDW, have risen 31% compared to last year and are averaging $292/night. Hotel stays in Mexico are up 15% to $197 per night over the weekend. 

Rental Cars

Car rentals are averaging $41 per day, down 14.5% from this time last year. Top destinations for rental pick ups are Orlando, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Larger cities like Chicago and New York City also make the list for highest demand pick up locations. Prices for rentals in Orlando, Los Angeles and New York have all dropped substantially compared to last year, while prices in Las Vegas and Chicago remain relatively flat vs 2022.

Most booked destinations on Hopper for Labor Day Weekend Travel

Travelers staying domestic this year are headed to big cities, with Las Vegas, Atlanta and Denver topping the list of most booked destinations for Labor Day Weekend. Passengers grabbing their passports are headed to regional destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada. 

How to prepare for busy airports this holiday weekend?

Flight disruptions continue to plague travelers this summer, but travelers are taking action to protect their travel experience, and investment. Today almost 1 in 5 flight bookers on Hopper are adding Flight Disruption Guarantee at checkout, and those users booking LDW trips were 10% more likely to buy a Flight Disruption Guarantee! We’ve rounded up our best tips for avoiding or managing disruptions this Labor Day Weekend:

Before you book: 

1. Give yourself a buffer day: The best way to ensure you make it to your destination on time is to give yourself some extra wiggle room, especially if you’re traveling for an important event. If unexpected weather or disruptions impact your trip, you’ll have a buffer day to rebook/reschedule to get to your destination on time. 

2. Fly in the morning: Disruptions are inevitable when flying, but a delay or weather in the morning can turn into airport wide disruptions by the afternoon or evening. Book the first flight out of the day to steer clear of backed up tarmacs, and to give yourself options for flights later in the day in the event that your flight is delayed or canceled. 

3. Add Hopper’s Flight Disruption Guarantee when you book: No matter how you prepare, sometimes delays, cancellations and missed connections are inevitable. We can’t control the weather! Add Hopper’s Flight Disruption Guarantee when you book on Hopper for a small fee. If your flight is delayed, canceled or you miss a connection, you can instantly rebook yourself on the next available flight (no matter which airline) directly in the Hopper app at no charge. No waiting in long lines at a customer service desk, no waiting on hold. Just rebook yourself and get on with your trip.

Within 24 hours of your trip: 

1. Know what options you have available: Know what other flights are headed to your destination the same day as your trip in case you’re disrupted and need to get on another flight. 

2. Know what’s included with your ticket. Do you have the option to change your flight with no fees? If so, consider changing to after a storm is expected.

3. Check airline policies. Some airlines may offer compensation or travel credit if your flight is canceled within a few hours of departure. Other carriers may offer hotel stays for passengers whose flights are canceled. Know what policies are offered by your airline ahead of time. Many carriers will often waive change fees due to weather, so be sure you’re up to date on your airline’s latest policy.

4. Sign up for alerts & check flight status before you go to the airport. You’ll want to know about delays and cancellations as early as possible. On most U.S. carriers, passengers can sign up for text, email, and/or in-app notifications about any changes to their itinerary including delay and cancellations. Travelers using the Hopper app are also notified as soon as we are aware of any disruptions. Always check your flight status before heading to the airport so you know about delays ahead of time.

If you’re delayed/canceled:

• Contact the airline/customer service - Head to the airline ticket agents’ counter ASAP. Pro tip: multi-task! Call the airline call center while you’re waiting in line.

• If you’re already at the airport, find a self-serve kiosk at the airport - Some airlines offer self-serve kiosks right in the airport. Scan your boarding pass/enter your trip details and you may be able to rebook yourself on a new flight and print a new boarding pass right from there. 

• Make changes online or on the airline’s app - Many carriers allow you to find a new flight and rebook directly on their website or in the app.

Last Minute Flight Deals Available to Book:

Great deals are still available to these top international destinations from major US airports over LDW!

• Miami, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico as low as $94 round-trip on Hopper

• Boston, Massachusetts, to San Juan, Puerto Rico as low as $140 round-trip on Hopper

• Los Angeles, California, to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico as low as $200 round-trip on Hopper

• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic as low as $241 round-trip on Hopper

• Atlanta, Georgia, to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic as low as $257 round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago, Illinois, to Montego Bay, Jamaica as low as $275 round-trip on Hopper