Orlando travelers face higher costs during busy Labor Day weekend
ORLANDO, Fla. —
Orlando is one of the top three domestic destinations for Labor Day travelers this year, but many are encountering higher travel costs, including increased airfare and fuel prices.
Joanne Hoxha and her family spent the holiday weekend at Disney World, enjoying the Halloween festivities.
“It was busy for the Halloween party and everything,” Hoxha said. “We wanted to, kind of a last hurrah before the boys start school on Tuesday.”
More than 17 million travelers are expected to fly during the long holiday weekend, with Orlando International Airport predicting Monday to be the busiest travel day, accommodating about 155,000 passengers. While this number is lower than last year, rising costs may be a contributing factor.
AAA reports that domestic flight prices are up about 2% compared to last year, with the average ticket costing around $750. AAA attributes the increase to high fuel costs and strong travel demand.
Marianna De Maio, who has lived in the U.S. for four years, is traveling back to Italy with her baby and says the high costs have made traveling difficult.
“Bad. It’s a lot, yeah. We have to get help,” De Maio said.
When asked how the costs are impacting her, she added, “Well, I haven’t been able to see my family for a while.”
A representative for GasBuddy explained that disruptions to global oil supply, including Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz and Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries, are contributing to the rising fuel prices.
Despite the challenges, travelers continue to flock to Orlando, making it one of the most popular destinations this Labor Day weekend.