Labor Day 2024 Travel: Best And Worst Times To Get Out Of Town In FL

FLORIDA — Residents of Florida taking a Labor Day road trip can get their long weekend off to a good start by avoiding certain times when traffic is expected to be heavier than usual.

Thursday and Friday afternoons and evenings will see the most traffic congestion, transportation data provider INRIX said in AAA’s Labor Day travel trends report. Either morning is better, but people leaving on the weekend should wait until Saturday afternoon.

People who are returning home on either Sunday or Monday should leave as early as possible to avoid heavy afternoon traffic, INRIX said.

There’s some good news for drivers traveling over the holiday weekend. Florida’s Labor Day gas prices are expected to be the lowest in three years, according to AAA.

Gas prices in the Sunshine State averaged $3.29 Sunday — the lowest they’ve been in three months, the association said.

The most expensive metro markets in the state for gas are West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Gainesville and Naples. The least expensive markets are in the Panhandle - Crestview-Fort Walton Beach, Pensacola and Panama City.

Below are the worst and best times to travel by car this weekend:

Worst Times

• Thursday: 1-7:30 p.m.
• Friday: 2-6 p.m.
• Saturday: 8-11 a.m.
• Sunday: 2-8 p.m.
• Monday: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Tuesday: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. noon

Best Times

• Thursday: before 11 a.m.
• Friday: before noon, after 7 p.m.
• Saturday: after 12 p.m noon
• Sunday: before 12 p.m. noon
• Monday: before 10 a.m.
• Tuesday: after 1 p.m.

If you’re traveling through the west and Central Florida, it’s a good idea to avoid I-4 East between Tampa and Orlando, which is expected to see a 39 percent increase in traffic, resulting in a travel time of 1 hour, 58 minutes, according to INRIX.

Peak congestion on this route is expected Saturday around 3:15 a.m.

Orlando is one of the top destinations this Labor Day weekend, AAA added.