Labor Day weekend travel: What to know about flights, gas prices and hotels

Travel costs will be slightly lower over the Labor Day weekend than they were last year, according to the AAA.

Domestic flights, hotels, gas and car rental prices are on average all down over the prior year, the AAA said, citing booking data.

Round-trip flights are 6% lower, the auto club said. Hotel rates are 11% lower on average in the United States than they were a year ago, while gas prices are down an average of 37 cents per gallon and rental car rates have dropped about 3%, according to the AAA.

Economist Martin R. Cantor, director of the Long Island Center for Socio-Economic Policy, said much of the pricing changes are thanks to an uptick in domestic oil production, as well as more oil available on the international market.

"This," he said, "is in part due to President Donald Trump's "Drill Baby, Drill' policy ... Everything begins and ends with fuel. Fuel prices are down, people are driving more, and they're flying domestically."

AAA Northeast spokesperson Robert Sinclair Jr. said cruises have become a big option, too, with many would-be vacationers setting out from New York, while cruises to Alaska have also become a major travel option. Seattle, another cruise port, tops the domestic travel list.

"You hate to say global warming," Sinclair said, "but you're seeing a lot of people headed to Alaska, because they're afraid the environment's not going to be there in a couple of years ... Beaches, national parks and theme parks also are high on the agenda."

Both Cantor and Sinclair said a lack of discretionary income — the result, according to Cantor, of greater household debt coupled with inflation — also is playing a role in where and how people elect to travel, while fear of the current political turmoil around the world also is proving a factor in vacation choices.

Cantor said while the nationwide average for hotel prices might be lower, prices vary by destination, and the idea of lower cost might be a myth.

"If you're going to Florida in summer, the prices might be down," he said. "But go to the Jersey Shore and you can bet prices are up."

Road trips remain a big last-minute option for would-be vacationers, Sinclair said, with many travelers seeking affordable destinations closer to home.

But the AAA said anyone planning a last-minute road trip should keep in mind that the best departure time often is before lunch.

For Thursday, the best travel time will be before 1 p.m., while the worst figures to be between 1 and 8 p.m., according to the AAA.

On Friday, the best travel time will be before noon, while on Saturday it will be between 6 and 10 a.m. On Sunday, you should plan to be on the road before 11 a.m., the AAA said, while on Monday the best advice is to get going before noon.

While the hottest international destination right now is Vancouver, Canada, rounding out the Top 10 for international destinations are: Rome, Dublin, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Athens, Edinburgh and Lisbon.

Nationally, the list for top travel destinations includes: Seattle, Orlando, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, Miami and Las Vegas. New York is third on the Top 10 list, while Anchorage, Alaska, is fifth on the list.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”