Americans planning a Labor Day getaway should prepare for higher travel costs and heavier traffic, according to a new holiday travel outlook from AAA.

AAA booking data shows strong demand for travel during the September 3-7 Labor Day period, with Atlanta ranking 10th among the nation’s most popular domestic destinations. Seattle tops the domestic list, followed by Orlando, Boston, Denver and New York.

Travelers are paying more for several parts of their vacations this year. Average domestic roundtrip airfare is 2% higher than last year at about $750, while flights to the most popular domestic destinations are nearly 20% higher, averaging about $790. Domestic hotel costs are up 9%, while international hotel bookings are 12% more expensive. One bright spot is international airfare, which is down 4%, while cruises departing from U.S. ports are about 4% cheaper.

Georgia Drivers Paying Much More For Gas

Motorists traveling from Chattooga County and Northwest Georgia are also facing substantially higher gasoline prices than they did last Labor Day.

AAA’s latest figures show Georgia regular gasoline averaging about $3.80 per gallon, compared with approximately $2.89 on Labor Day 2025. In the Rome market, which includes much of the immediate Northwest Georgia area, regular gasoline was averaging about $3.73 per gallon Thursday.

Nationally, regular gasoline is around $4.09 per gallon. AAA says August is on track to become the most expensive August on record at the pump, with the national average remaining above $4 throughout the month.

Avoid The Afternoon If Possible

Traffic could also become a major issue as the holiday approaches. INRIX expects some of the heaviest congestion on Thursday and Friday, when holiday travelers will be sharing the highways with normal commuter traffic.

The worst travel periods are expected to be 2-7 PM Thursday, noon-8 PM Friday, 1-5 PM Saturday and 2-5 PM on Labor Day Monday. AAA recommends leaving early and avoiding afternoon travel whenever possible.

Atlanta-area travelers could encounter particularly significant delays returning home. AAA and INRIX project the I-20 corridor from Atlanta toward Birmingham could see travel times approximately 65% longer than normal Monday evening.

AAA is also urging drivers to check their vehicles before leaving. During last year’s Labor Day holiday period, the organization responded to more than 400,000 roadside assistance calls, including dead batteries, flat tires, lockouts and vehicles requiring towing.

Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7, and AAA recommends motorists check tires, batteries and fluid levels before hitting the road and carry basic emergency supplies.