MA Labor Day Travel 2023: Gas Prices, Best Times To Travel

BOSTON, MA — The last hurrah of summer is upon us. A season in Massachusetts that's been marked by often wet (sometimes tornadic) weather will mostly come to an end over Labor Day weekend as students head back to school and summer office hours end.

If you're marking Labor Day 2023 with a trip, you're not alone. AAA booking data suggests interest in travel is strong, with domestic flight bookings up 4 percent and international bookings up 44 percent.

But as with other holiday weekends, most of the travel will take place on the road. Summer gas prices spiked in July because of tight supply and the high cost of oil, but have moderated some in August, a trend AAA expects to continue through Labor Day, barring a major storm in the Gulf

Labor Day road trippers in Massachusetts will pay about the same as they did last year for gas, according to the latest averages from the AAA travel group.

A gallon of regular gas was averaging around $3.76 in Massachusetts this week compared to $4.12 a year ago. The price is about 5 cents lower right now than the national average, according to the AAA’s gas price tracker.

Most travelers will leave on Thursday or Friday before Labor Day to take advantage of the long holiday weekend, Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a news release.

To avoid heavy traffic, travel early in the morning or in the evening, Bob Pishue, a transportation analyst with INRIX, said in a news release. AAA and INRIX work together on the travel group’s holiday travel projections.

The heaviest traffic will be on Thursday, Aug. 31, between mid-afternoon and early evening. Road trippers may also see more traffic from late morning into the night on Friday, Sept. 1.

In Massachusetts, holiday travel usually gets snarled in a few key areas: I-93 from near New Hampshire to Braintree, routes to Logan Airport (the Sumner Tunnel will reopen Thursday), the Mass Pike near the I-84 interchange — and of course the bridges to Cape Cod.

In general, these are the best times to drive, according to AAA and INRIX:

• Wednesday, Aug. 30: before 7 a.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 31: before 7 a.m.
• Friday, Sept. 1: before 11 a.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 2: after 6 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept. 3: minimal traffic disruptions expected

Avoid driving during these times if possible:

• Wednesday, Aug. 30: between noon and 8 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 31: between noon and 8 p.m.
• Friday, Sept. 1: between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m.
• Saturday, Sept. 2: between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Monday, Sept. 4: between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

“If you must travel during heavy traffic, navigation apps and local departments of transportation can help steer drivers around long delays,” Pishue said.

AAA said an analysis of past motorist assist calls suggests more than 300,000 will have problems such as flat tires, dead batteries and lockouts.

If you are stranded, pull as far onto the shoulder as safely possible, turn on your hazard lights and call for roadside assistance. If you can make it to the next service exit or natural stopping point, that’s preferable.

To avoid breakdowns, have your vehicle thoroughly inspected before leaving. And take along an extra set of keys, AAA advised.

“Labor Day weekend will be a big sendoff to what has been an extremely busy summer travel season,”

Debbie Haas, AAA’s vice president for travel, said Labor Day weekend will be “a big sendoff to what has been an extremely busy summer travel season.”

The top domestic destinations for Labor Day are Seattle, Orlando, Anchorage, New York and Las Vegas, according to AAA travel data. Seattle tourism in particular has seen a boost amid the strong demand for Alaska cruises.

Cruise bookings overall are up 19 percent compared to 2022.

Florida destinations have long been popular because of the abundance of beaches and theme parks, but cruise ports in central Florida, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Miami also increase demand, AAA said.

Top international destinations for Labor Day are Vancouver, Rome, London, Dublin and Paris.