Atlanta forecasts 2.3 million Labor Day travelers

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport said it is preparing for a record Labor Day travel rush, with 2.3 million passengers expected to pass through the airport from Sept. 2 through Sept. 9. The forecast is about 1% higher than last year’s holiday period, according to local reports citing airport officials. Friday, Sept. 4, is expected to be the busiest day of the stretch, with more than 335,000 passengers projected at the airport. Georgia travelers heading out by car are also facing higher fuel costs, with regular gas at about $3.80 a gallon statewide, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. ### When is the airport expecting the biggest crush of travelers? Friday, Sept. 4, is forecast to be the peak day at Hartsfield-Jackson, with more than 335,000 passengers expected to move through the airport, according to airport officials cited by FOX 5 Atlanta. The Labor Day travel window runs from Wednesday, Sept. 2, through Wednesday, Sept. 9. (fox5atlanta.com) The 2.3 million-passenger estimate would set a holiday-period record for the airport, local outlets reported. Atlanta-based coverage said officials are planning for longer lines and heavier traffic around the terminal complex as the holiday weekend approaches. ### How much bigger is this year’s holiday rush than last year’s? (fox5atlanta.com) The airport’s forecast is roughly 1% above the comparable Labor Day period a year earlier, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. Atlanta Business Chronicle also reported that the airport is preparing for a busier holiday rush than last year. Hartsfield-Jackson describes itself as the world’s busiest passenger airport on its official website, a status that helps explain why even a modest year-over-year increase translates into large absolute volumes over a single holiday week. (fox5atlanta.com) ### What does this mean for people driving instead of flying? Georgia drivers are paying about $3.80 per gallon for regular gasoline, up from roughly $3.30 a year ago, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. (fox5atlanta.com) The station also said airfare and hotel prices are running higher for Labor Day travelers this year. WSB-TV reported Georgia’s statewide average for regular gasoline at $3.79 in the days before the holiday, broadly in line with the FOX 5 figure. (atl.com) That leaves road-trippers facing higher costs even before parking, lodging and food are added. ### Where are the biggest pinch points likely to be? (fox5atlanta.com) Atlanta-area roads are expected to be busiest on Thursday and Friday ahead of the holiday weekend, according to regional travel coverage citing AAA. At the airport, the main pressure points are likely to be check-in, security screening and pickup and drop-off traffic around the terminals, based on the passenger volumes officials have forecast. The expectation of congestion on those fronts is an inference from the airport’s traffic estimate and regional travel warnings. (wsbtv.com) ### What should travelers watch over the next few days? Sept. 4 is the date airport officials have identified as the busiest day of the Labor Day period, and Sept. 2-9 is the full travel window the airport is using for its forecast. Travelers passing through Hartsfield-Jackson during those dates will be moving through an airport expecting 2.3 million passengers for the holiday stretch, while Georgia motorists will be paying around $3.80 a gallon for regular gas, according to local television reports. (41nbc.com) (fox5atlanta.com)