AAA forecasts 31.5 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Labor Day holiday weekend, a 2.4 percent decrease from the 32.3 million people who traveled one year ago. The Labor Day holiday travel period is defined as Thursday, September 1 to Monday, September 5.

“While automobile travel is expected to increase slightly, if recent declines in gasoline prices continue through Labor Day, we could see an increase in last-minute holiday weekend travel,” said Glen MacDonell, director, AAA Travel Services.
 
Automobile travel remains the dominant mode of holiday transportation, with approximately 27.3 million people (87 percent of holiday travelers) planing to take to the nation’s roadways this holiday weekend.  Almost 2.5 million leisure travelers (eight percent of holiday travelers) will fly, while 1.7 million will use other modes of travel (trains, watercraft, multi-modal travel).

AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight. The Boston-based economic research and consulting firm teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during the major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. The complete AAA / IHS Global Insight 2011 Labor Day Holiday Travel Forecast can be found at AAA.com/news.

The AAA Travel Editors have compiled their top Labor Day weekend activities to inspire some holiday fun. Please read the post Things to Do Labor Day Weekend.