Gasoline prices are expected to be the lowest in a decade for Iowans during the Labor Day holiday weekend ahead.
Rose White, at AAA-Iowa, says those falling gas prices along with rising wages are helping to boost Iowans’ disposable income — which should lead to a boost in travel for the last vacation of summer.
“Thirty-five-point-five million Americans will journey 50 miles or more from home during the Labor Day holiday, the highest volume for the holiday since 2008,” White says. “This will mark the fourth consecutive year of overall travel growth for the Labor Day holiday period.” A motor club survey finds most travelers, about 86 percent, will be getting from Point A to Point B using a motor vehicle.
“Those hitting the roadways will find very favorable fuel prices,” White says. “In Iowa, the state average is $2.51 and that’s down 83 cents from prices we saw a year ago. Just during the last week, they’ve fallen from $2.65 down to the current level of $2.51.”
Not everyone has cemented a complete schedule for the three-day weekend, and there’s help if you need suggestions. “If you haven’t yet made travel plans, there’s a wealth of information that can be found on the website traveliowa.com,” White says. “Families are encouraged to visit the site to learn more. If you enjoy camping, visit IowaDNR.gov.”
For Iowans who are flying this weekend, airfares are expected to be one-percent lower for Labor Day compared to last year.