NYC Labor Day traffic, parking rules, best and worst times to travel: Forecast

NEW YORK CITY - Going away for Labor Day weekend? 

Airports, highways, beaches and theme parks are expected to be packed for the long holiday weekend as a lot Americans mark the unofficial end of summer the same way they celebrated the season’s unofficial start: by traveling.

The Transportation Security Administration anticipates screening more than 17 million people between Thursday and next Wednesday — a record for the Labor Day period.

AAA says bookings for domestic travel are running 9% higher than last year for the holiday weekend, while international trips are down 4%.

RELATED: Labor Day 2024: When is it and why do we celebrate?

American Airlines plans to have its largest Labor Day weekend operation ever and expects a 14% increase in passengers compared to last year.

"Not everyone travels for Labor Day, not compared to July 4th or Thanksgiving — those are the most popular ones," says Aixa Diaz, a spokesperson for AAA. "But certainly Labor Day offers people a way to get away for a final weekend of the summer. You've got people who are either taking the three-day weekend or perhaps taking off the whole week before Labor Day."

If you are traveling to get the last blast of summer, here is a rundown of what you need to know.

When is the best time to leave?

If you plan to start your driving on the Thursday or Friday before Labor Day, you will be sharing the road with commuters. You might want to leave before the morning rush hour or even in the evening to avoid jams.

Transportation-data provider INRIX says the worst time to travel by car on Thursday will be between 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., and on Friday between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. That flips on Saturday, when you'll want to avoid driving between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

"Drivers should expect the most severe traffic jams before the holiday weekend as commuters mix with travelers," said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX. "Monitoring traffic apps, local news stations, and 511 traveler information services may help drivers navigate around congestion and reduce driver frustration this Labor Day."

For the return trip, pretty much all day Monday — from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. — will be a slog, according to INRIX.

Real-time NYC traffic map

How much will gas cost?

Travelers taking road trips should expect to pay less for gas compared to last year. 

The national average over Labor Day weekend in 2023 was $3.81. In recent weeks, gas prices have remained steady, hovering around $3.50. 

Parking rules

The parking meters will not be in effect on Labor Day. 

In New York City, you can park without paying for the meter on Sundays.

If you try to pay on Labor Day, your payment will be rejected. The meter will display a "Meter Off, Read Posted Signs" message, according to 311. 

Alternate side parking is suspended on Labor Day, according to NYC 311.

When will airports be busiest?

Friday, according to the TSA. The agency expects to screen 2.86 million people that day. While an impressive number, it would not even rank in the top 15 days in TSA's history. The single-day record of 3.01 million was set on July 7, the Sunday after Independence Day.

TSA says it has enough screeners to keep the time it takes to get through regular lines to 30 minutes or less and to no more than 10 minutes for PreCheck lines.

American Airlines says Thursday and Friday will be its busiest days, with 6,400 flights per day, followed by Labor Day itself, when the carrier has 6,300 scheduled flights.

Are there delays or cancelations at NYC-area airports?

Check the status of each airport below:

LaGuardia Airport status 

• For more information from FlightAware, click HERE.

Newark Airport status

• For more information from FlightAware, click HERE.

JFK Airport status

• For more information from FlightAware, click HERE.

Weather forecast

Generally, the weather forecast for the Labor Day holiday weekend seems to be OK – for now. That can change as we close out the workweek and get ready for the long weekend.

Some issues could pop up across the southern U.S. from Texas to the Southeast, as well as along the Interstate 95 corridor on the East Coast up to New England.

Many major cities across the U.S. will experience pleasant temperatures this weekend, which is a welcome change after brutal late-summer heat and humidity that helped to fire up powerful thunderstorms on Monday in the Midwest.

And if you’re heading to major airports in those locations, like Houston, Miami and New York City, rain and possible thunderstorms could lead to delayed or canceled flights.

Thursday

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 a.m., then a slight chance of showers after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a steady temperature around 72. The chance of precipitation is 20%.

Friday

A 20% chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 74.

Saturday

A 40% chance of showers after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 78.

Sunday

A 30% chance of showers after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 80.

More travel issues could arise from areas of the Southwest to the Northeast on Sunday, but the FOX Forecast Center doesn't expect major storm systems to be impacting those regions.

"When it comes down to the precipitation, again, these are not huge storm systems with nonstop rain moving through the country," FOX Weather Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari said. "We're going to have a lot of on-and-off showers and thunderstorms."

Either way, airports from the Midwest to the Northeast could be impacted by those pop-up showers and thunderstorms, which could lead to more issues.

And remember, if you're at an airport where the sky is clear and temperatures are warm, extreme weather hundreds of miles away can still impact your travel plans.

Labor Day 2024

Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.

Rain could impact the beaches in Florida, and for those of you in the Northeast maybe heading to a local lake or pond to swim, bring an umbrella just in case a shower or two passes by.

The Associated Press and FOX Weather contributed to this report.