What to expect for Labor Day traffic in San Diego
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San Diego expects heavy Labor Day weekend traffic at the airport and on the road. Photo: Kevin Carter/Getty Images
San Diego's weather, beaches, parks and outdoor activities make for a perfect Labor Day weekend for locals and guests. But that appeal fuels traffic jams on the road and in airport security lines.
Why it matters: This summer has been one of the busiest ever for air travel nationwide, and San Diego International Airport is expecting big crowds to close the season.
By the numbers: Airport officials estimate that up to 450,000 people will arrive and depart at SAN from Thursday to Tuesday.
- That's about 75,000 people each day — up 3%-4% compared to 2023 and 2019.
What to watch: Anticipate potential traffic snarls along North Harbor Drive near the entrance to the airport and curbside at terminals.
- The new Terminal 1 parking plaza is now open, but construction there is ongoing.
- The next phase of that project, which will include 19 new gates, is expected to be complete in 2025.
Driving the news: Peak road congestion coming into San Diego will be on the southbound lanes of Interstate 15 from Palm Springs at 9:45am Tuesday, per INRIX, a traffic analytics company cited by AAA.
- Those looking to drive back into town Tuesday morning can expect travel time to be 15% more than normal, taking an average 2 hours and 29 minutes.
Zoom out: The worst times to drive anywhere are 1-7pm Thursday, 2-6pm Friday and 8-11am Saturday, per AAA and INRIX.
- AAA suggests traveling before 11am Thursday, before noon and after 7pm Friday, and Saturday afternoon.
- On the way home, avoid traveling 2-8pm Sunday, 11am-8pm Monday and 8am-noon Tuesday.
- Look to drive back before noon on Sunday, before 10am Monday and after 1pm Tuesday.
Yes, but: Gas will likely be cheaper than a year ago.
- San Diego's average gas prices have fallen since April to $4.67 currently, down from $5.36 last Labor Day weekend.
The big picture: Nationwide, more than 17 million people are expected to fly from Thursday to Tuesday — the busiest Labor Day travel period on record, per the latest TSA projections.
- Domestic travel over Labor Day weekend is up 9% compared to last year, new AAA data shows.
- The top destinations are Seattle; Orlando, Florida; Anchorage, Alaska; New York; and Boston.
The intrigue: This morning, United Airlines flight attendants are picketing outside SAN's Terminal 2 demanding pay increases, schedule flexibility and other benefits, as they negotiate a contract.
- The union plans to announce a potential strike at airports across the country.