(WSVN) - Severe weather and high prices are shaping the holiday weekend as millions of Americans travel for the last days of summer.
Cameras captured travelers packing their bags at airports as they begin Labor Day weekend.
“We’re going to Atlanta, Georgia,” said a traveler.
“We’re going to California, Laguna Beach for our friend’s wedding,” said another traveler.
The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen more than 17 million travelers over the holiday weekend.
According to AAA, domestic airfare is up about two percent from 2025, averaging $750 for a round trip.
For destinations like Seattle, Orlando, and Boston, prices are even higher. Airfare has increased nearly 20% over the last year.
“We’re really only gonna see prices pull back dramatically if people stop flying, right? If fewer people decide to take trips, but we’re not seeing that,” said AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz.
For those driving instead of boarding planes, gas prices are also hitting new Labor Day weekend records. The national average stands at around $4.14 a gallon.
With big crowds heading to their destinations and severe weather moving across the country, travelers can expect delays.
More than 200 severe storm reports have been noted from the Great Lakes to the northeast entering Friday.
In the nation’s capital, wind gusts were up to 70 miles per hour on Thursday as lightning illuminated the Capitol.
The strong winds forced a plane to remain on the runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
At least 100,000 customers in the DC metro area are without power as of Friday afternoon after trees were brought down on homes.
Area residents described what it was like to see the tree fall.
“It was like we were in a hurricane. It was, it got real strange. I’m lying in bed, and I see all of these lights, so I come out, and I see the tree was over,” said a resident.
In Pittsburgh, traffic slowed due to flash flooding after over two inches of rain fell quickly, setting a daily record. Heavy rain also flooded roads in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, while tornado warnings and severe thunderstorms rocked the Detroit area.
In Pennsylvania, strong winds and heavy hail rained down on residents.
Experts recommend that people contact their airline right away if their flight gets canceled.
“If you see a flight get canceled, when are they gonna rebook you? Can they rebook on a different airline? You hope for the best, but you have that plan B and C in place,” said Diaz.
TSA said Friday will be the busiest day of the holiday weekend, with 2.8 million passengers expected to pass through airports across the country.
Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.