Gas prices $0.68 higher than previous years amid Labor Day weekend
DELMARVA – Labor day is just 3 days away and that means many people will be saying goodbye to summer with a vacation.
Whether it’s roadways or air travel, things will be busy. And business might be slow but AAA officials tell me car riders aren’t off the hook so easy either, they’re paying for it at the pump. “I think it’s going to be a fairly normal weekend for us,” says Tony Rudy, Salisbury Airport Manager.
A Look at the Numbers
Salisbury Airport Manager Tony Rudy is talking about travel ahead of Labor Day weekend. Officials say you can expect to see long lines at the airport and lots of traffic on your way there but business is slower this time around. “Normally this time of year we’re at 6 flights a day, 6 departures, and 6 arrivals. But right now we’re at 3 flights, so we’re hoping we’ll see some more coming back towards the end of the year,” says Rudy.
And since there are some concerns with catching a flight, some are turning to their car for a road trip instead. “Now we have had issues this summer, the airlines have had some real troubles with delays and cancellations that in and of itself because so many people have seen the news stories and heard the reports, that in and of itself could encourage a few more people to travel by car,” says Morgan Dean, the Spokesperson for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
Gas prices have been seen decreasing, however, officials say you’re still paying more at the pump. “Taking a look at prices last year, we are still paying $0.68 more than we were going into Labor Day last year, so it’s a time period to look at where we’ve come from this year but also keep it in perspective compared to previous years,” says Dean.
Travel Tips
If you are getting on the road for the holiday weekend, check in on your car. “Driving on underinflated tires can actually pull down your miles per gallon and nobody wants to lose miles per gallon because of underinflated tires with where we’re paying price wise even though prices have come down a good bit this year, we’re still paying pretty high prices for labor day,” says Dean. And if you plan on flying, keep this in mind: “Make sure you show up early, allow plenty of time, these flights hold 50 passengers so if 50 people show up at the same time and need to get through security it takes a while so people should be here at least an hour ahead of time, be through security at least 45 minutes ahead of time,” says Rudy.
Regardless of when you leave make sure you bring your patience. Officials say it’s best to hit the road after Rush Hour tonight. And on your way back they recommend leaving early Monday morning. AAA officials say gas prices peaked at an all-time record back in early summer on June 14th. In Maryland specifically the high was $5.02 which dropped to $3.70 making that $1.32 less from that all-time record high.
