Maryland Labor Day travel is bringing packed airports, congested highways and unusually expensive fuel across the state. More than 17 million passengers are expected at U.S. airports during the holiday period, while drivers face some of the highest seasonal gasoline costs on record, as reported by Baltimore Chronicle.
The latest travel conditions were reported by CBS News Baltimore, citing TSA, AAA and airport officials.
BWI Airport prepares for heavy Labor Day crowds
The Transportation Security Administration expects more than 17 million passengers nationwide during the Labor Day travel period.
Travelers are being urged to arrive early. TSA recommends allowing additional time for parking, baggage check-in, security screening and reaching the gate.
Baltimore-area passengers will place additional pressure on BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport.
Airport officials have suspended intersection work connected with the Runway 10-28 rehabilitation project from September 3 through September 7. The wider construction program continues until October 8. BWI Airport says the airport remains operational during the project.
When will Maryland Labor Day traffic be worst?
Drivers also face difficult conditions. AAA and transportation analytics company INRIX expect several major congestion periods.
The busiest travel windows are:
- Thursday, September 3: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Friday, September 4: noon to 8 p.m.
- Saturday, September 5: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Monday, September 7: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday and Friday are particularly difficult because holiday traffic overlaps with regular commuting.
AAA also recommends checking tire pressure, batteries and vehicle fluids before longer trips. More than 400,000 motorists requested roadside assistance during last year’s Labor Day period, according to CBS Baltimore.
Labor Day gas prices climb above $4 per gallon
Fuel costs are another problem for travelers. The national average reached about $4.14 per gallon on September 3.
That was around 4 cents higher than one week earlier.
| Indicator | September 2026 figure |
|---|---|
| National gas average | $4.14 per gallon |
| One week earlier | about $4.10 |
| One year earlier | about $3.19 |
| Previous Labor Day record | $3.82 |
AAA says this could become the most expensive Labor Day ever at the pump. The previous holiday record was $3.82 per gallon in 2012. AAA links the increase mainly to elevated crude oil costs and global supply pressures.
Lower seasonal gasoline demand has not produced the usual relief for drivers this year.
For Maryland travelers, that creates a difficult combination: crowded airports, predictable highway bottlenecks and higher trip costs.
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