More Marylanders expected to travel for Labor Day weekend this year

Hagerstown Regional Airport Director Phil Ridenour said an Allegiant flight leaving from there Friday at 11:25 a.m. for Orlando Sanford International Airport in Florida is nearly booked.

“Friday’s flight will probably fill up,” he said. “We see a big increase in the Allegiant flight for Labor Day weekend.”


The Cape Air flights to Baltimore, however, are normal so far, Ridenour said.

“A lot of that is used by business travelers, not leisure travelers,” he said. “We don’t see a huge increase there on holidays.”

Not everybody will be traveling 50 miles or more this weekend, however.

Hancock resident Marie Shaw, 74, will be staying home and cross the river Sunday to Cacapon State Park in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., for a picnic with her family.

“I never travel far for Labor Day because of money, and I don’t like all the traffic,” she said. “We just have an enjoyable time at the picnic.”

Marylanders are expected to travel an average 483 miles round trip this weekend, according to the AAA news release. That is 143 miles less than the nationwide average for holiday travel.

A total of 43 percent of travelers plan to travel between 50 and 400 miles round trip, according to AAA.

Clear Spring resident Kayla Hensley, 20, is traveling to Frostburg, Md., to stay with a friend at Frostburg State University.

“We are going to have a picnic, look at the school and maybe go to a football game,” she said. “I’m just going to have to deal with the traffic. There’s no back ways to go, and I have to leave Friday around rush hour.”

More than 33 million Americans overall are expected to travel more than 50 miles away from home this year, according to another AAA news release.

Although there is potential for Hurricane Isaac to impact Maryland travelers, most travel plans have already been made, according to the news release. Travelers are advised to keep an eye on the weather, since forecasts can change quickly.