The official Labor Day holiday travel period begins next week, between Thursday, August 28 and Monday, September 1. If you’re wondering how the roads and air travel will be, AAA announced yesterday that an estimated 34.7 million Americans will be journeying 50 miles or more this Labor Day holiday weekend – that’s a historic high since 2008.

Even with modest gains in income growth, consumer spending is on the rise. Americans want “to take one last summer vacation this year,” says AAA Chief Operating Officer Marshall L. Doney, even if it means having to take on debt.

Fortunately this Labor Day, American travelers can expect to pay lower gas prices compared to last year. Although air and hotel cost increases. Air travelers will see a rise in airfare cost of about two percent compared to last year and six percent for hotel stays.

Almost 86 percent of Labor Day travelers will take on the road with it being the more affordable method. The average price per gallon of gas is at $3.44 vs. $3.59 last Labor Day. The latest gas prices are broken down for the nation by states and metro areas at FuelGaugeReport.AAA.com.

The cost of car rental remains the same as last year.

For those of you who have not made any travel plans yet, there’s always fun stops throughout Long Island for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

[Source: AAA]