SEATTLE — About a third of Americans plan to travel over Labor Day weekend, matching pre-pandemic levels, according to AAA.
Travel agencies believe Friday afternoon will be the busiest travel time of the weekend.
The travel app Hopper predicts close to 13 million Americans will fly.
On Thursday, Delta pilots were picketing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and at other airports across the country.
Delta pilots are using this critical travel time to send a message to management. They say it’s time for a new contract.
A representative for Delta pilots said pilots have picked up more overtime this year than in 2018 and 2019 combined.
She also said Delta is overscheduling pilots and fewer are trying to pick up the slack after the retirements and job losses from the pandemic.
“Delta pilots want our passengers to know that we’re with them, we are trying to get them to their destinations. When they’re delayed, we’re delayed, and we’re frustrated as well. If we can all send a unified message to Delta management: Stop overscheduling us. Bring your pilots an industry-leading contract,” said Air Line Pilots Association, International spokesperson Laura Woods.
Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation unveiled a new tool that can help next time you’re dealing with a delayed or canceled flight. The new dashboard shows the 10 largest U.S. airlines and whether they offer meal vouchers, hotel accommodations or help in rebooking.
Those services would only be available if your flight is canceled or delayed because of an issue under the airline’s control. This includes a mechanical or a staffing issue, but not weather.
The new tool comes as complaints soar nationwide. New federal data shows airline complaints doubled for the first half of this year compared to 2021, with flight problems and refunds representing the top two frustrations.
Driving? Best, worst times to travel
If you’re taking a road trip, the Washington State Department of Transportation offers some smart advice for travelers: plan ahead.
WSDOT has Labor Day weekend travel charts showing when major highways are expected to be the most congested.
Using historical data, WSDOT traffic analysts created graphs projecting how many cars are expected to be on the road each hour over the long weekend this year.
The good news for drivers: There won’t be any Revive I-5 closures this weekend, with work scheduled to resume on Friday, Sept. 9.
Take a look at Labor Day 2022 weekend travel charts below to save time and frustration while on the road: