What to expect when traveling on Labor Day

Greg Roybal, Public Information Officer at Sky Harbor International Airport, explained what travelers can expect for Labor Day weekend in terms of air travel delays.

“You can expect during a long weekend that there’s going to be a few more passengers on the planes, and a few more folks in the terminals,” said Greg.

Higher ticket prices

Ticket prices are expected to increase by 20% from last year and from 2019. Weekend prices for domestic airfare will increase by 23% from last year, averaging about $278. There is also a projected 12.6 million Americans that are planning to book their flights for the weekend.

Prices are still at record highs due to the growing demand of post-pandemic travel due to restrictions. “We have been seeing an increase of passengers in general as we recover from the pandemic,” said Greg.

He further explained that the increase seems to be steady; however, there is no confirmation on why the increase is growing as much as it is.

The days leading up to and the day following the holiday are expected to be the busiest and can be the most expensive to fly out. It can cost up to $333 for a round-trip on Thursday and about $323 for a round-trip on Friday. However, if passengers can wait to delay their trip until Saturday they are expected to save as much as 26% on airfare.

What passengers can expect

Covid restrictions have relaxed; however, passengers can still wear masks and there may be social distancing rules placed.

Due to an increase of passengers Greg further explained the best way to get to and from the airport is through the Sky Train. “Literally within 10 minutes you can be taking your bags out of your car, and 10 minutes later being on your way to you gate,” he said. They do run every three to five minutes.