Seattle tops Labor Day travel charts again
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Seattle is once again the nation's top Labor Day weekend destination, per AAA, capping Washington state's record-breaking summer travel season.
Why it matters: The holiday closes out the busiest U.S. travel stretch since before the pandemic, with the TSA set to screen nearly 17.4 million fliers — up from 17.1 million last year.
State of play: Domestic travel costs have dropped compared to last Labor Day weekend.
- Round-trip flights are 6% cheaper, hotel rates are 11% lower, and car rentals cost 3% less, per AAA.
- Gas prices are also down from last year.
By the numbers: Nearly 400,000 ferry riders are expected this weekend — closing out Washington State Ferries' busiest summer since 2019.
- More than 1 million travelers are expected at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport between Thursday and Tuesday, up 7% from last year, per the Port of Seattle.
- Friday is forecast to be the airport's busiest day with nearly 200,000 passengers through Sea-Tac, which this summer logged eight of the airport's 10 busiest days ever.
Yes, but: While visitors flood the Emerald City, many Seattleites are heading out for nearby escapes.
- AAA Washington tells Axios that getaways in the Seattle area and Vancouver are among its members' top September trips, along with Amsterdam.
- "Events and experiences like Bumbershoot Arts and Music Festival, Washington State Fair, and the Evergreen State Fair are fantastic ways for families and friends to savor summer's last hurrah," says AAA Washington's chief experience officer Megan West.
Zoom in: Expect bottlenecks, especially on Interstate 90, according to data from INRIX and the Washington State Department of Transportation.
- Westbound I-90 from Ellensburg to Seattle could nearly double in travel time to nearly four hours on Monday, peaking around 5:15 p.m.
- The smoothest travel is in the mornings, ideally before lunch, with afternoons and evenings seeing the heaviest congestion.
Zoom out: Friday departures and Monday returns are the riskiest times to drive, per mobility data firm Arity.
The bottom line: From highways to ferries to airports, Washington is bracing for one of its busiest Labor Day weekends in years — and travelers should leave early and pack patience.