The last holiday of the summer is upon us, and tens of thousands of Iowans will be traveling over Labor Day weekend. AAA Iowa spokesman Brian Ortner says the record-breaking summer travel season will come to a close with what is expected to be another exceptionally busy holiday for short-stay travelers.

“Labor Day weekend is up 9% from last year and the good news is that domestic travel costs are down 2%,” Ortner says. “So that’s great for consumers and nice to see people getting back on the road and taking their last summer trip.”

With most children in Iowa already back in school, regional road trips are the most popular option for families on Labor Day. Because of this, Ortner says, other vacationers see this as an opportunity to travel the world and expect fewer crowds in popular locations.

“Domestic airfare prices are down 2% from last year,” Ortner says. “Hotel prices are up a little from last year, about 7%, but that balances out when you rent a car, which is 16% cheaper this Labor Day holiday than last year.”

The majority of Labor Day vacationers will be traveling by car, and although electric vehicles are becoming more common, most cars, trucks and SUVs still run on gasoline. Ortner doesn’t expect any big jumps in Iowa’s gas prices before the weekend.

“Fortunately, gas prices have remained stable, averaging around 3.20 cents per gallon nationwide, and despite the popularity of summer road trips, gasoline demand has dropped,” Ortner says. “Daily driving habits have changed after the pandemic, mitigating price spikes.”

Gasoline prices vary widely in Iowa. The most expensive fuel is in Dubuque at $3.45 per gallon, while Sioux City has the cheapest at $2.98.

(Additional reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)