The world is huge

Don't miss any of it

Travel news, itineraries, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

X
This is rush hour traffic on the 405 Freeway at sunset. There are 10 lanes of traffic total showing both sides of the freeway. There are cars stopped in every lane.
spiritofamerica | Adobe Stock
Travel Tips & Advice

When to Leave to Beat the Traffic This Labor Day Weekend

SmarterTravel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto: "Don't be boring."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available)."

E-mail her at cteel@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Caroline Morse Teel

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Planning on leaving Thursday afternoon to beat the Labor Day weekend traffic? So is everyone else. The American Automobile Association (AAA) just released its annual Labor Day weekend travel forecast, which predicts Thursday, August 31 between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. will be the busiest time drive over the long weekend. Friday, September 1 is also anticipated to have higher traffic volume than normal between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Empty open highway in Wyoming
haveseen | Adobe Stock

To beat the holiday traffic, plan to leave in the early morning on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, and to return home on Sunday or after 7 p.m. on Monday.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

The Best and Worst Times to Drive Labor Day Weekend 2023

Date  Worst Travel Time Best Travel Time
Wednesday, August 30  12:00 PM – 8:00 PM  Before 7:00 AM 
Thursday, Aug 31 
 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM  Before 7:00 AM 
Friday, September 1  11:00 AM – 9:00 PM Before 11:00 AM 
Saturday, September 2 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM After 6:00 PM 
Sunday, September 3 N/A Minimal traffic is expected throughout the day
Monday, September 4 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM After 7:00 PM

Related:

Ultimate Packing List for a Family Road Trip

Gas Prices

Fortunately, gas prices will remain similar to last year for road trips over the holiday weekend. According to AAA’s forecast, drivers will likely see prices around $3.78 for a gallon of regular, the same average price as Labor Day 2022.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

You Might Also Like:

• The 5 Biggest Mistakes You Can Make at an All-Inclusive Resort
• 10 Travel Secrets I Learned Working in a Hotel
• 9 Surprising Passport Facts You Need to Know
• Find Your Recharge on Eastern Vancouver Island
• How to Use the iPhone’s Satellite SOS When Traveling

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

Top Fares From

Don't see a fare you like? View all flight deals from your city.

Today's Top Travel Deals

Brought to you by ShermansTravel

Australia: Upscale, 8-Night Cairns, the Gold...

Down Under Answers

vacation $3899+

Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati

85OFF.com

Car Rental $19+

Shop and Save with Country Inns...

Patricia Magaña

Hotel & Lodging Deals

Trending on SmarterTravel