If you're going out of town for the Labor Day weekend, you'll have lots of company. AAA is projecting 34.1 million Americans will be traveling at least 50 miles from home, a 4.2 percent increase from last year. Nearly 1.4 million Ohioans will also be traveling, up 3.3 percent.
"This is the highest number that we've seen for Labor Day travel since the decline during the recession," said Cheryl Parker, AAA Corporate Public Affairs Manager. "It appears the improving economy is helping to get more people feeling more comfortable about taking a road trip for this holiday weekend."
Most will be traveling by car, so Parker says be sure to get your vehicle checked before your trip. She says last Labor Day weekend, AAA responded to more than 2,400 emergency road service calls in the Cincinnati area. Those included more than 1,000 calls for tows and nearly 600 calls for battery problems.
Other Labor Day projections from AAA:
- Just over 1.2 million Ohioans plan to travel by automobile this coming weekend, an increase of 3.3 percent compared to last year.
- Regional holiday air travel is expected to increase 1.6 percent to nearly 51,000.
- The largest share of travelers (46 percent) will depart on Friday, August 30. Forty-three percent plan to return on Monday, September 2.
- Nationwide the average traveler is expected to log a round-trip distance of 594 miles, compared to 626 miles in 2012.
- Median spending among travelers is projected to be $804 compared to $749 in 2012.