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Booking airfare can be tricky — if you book too early or too late, you'll likely pay more. This is especially true for long weekends and holidays, which are popular times to travel. But you don't always have to pay peak holiday travel prices if you know the best times to book.
With Labor Day weekend just weeks away, we compared prices on some of the most popular domestic routes taken from five major US airlines. Below, you'll find charts on one-way flight prices for the days leading up to Labor Day weekend, including flights from Chicago to Minneapolis for $44.
To score the lowest fares, as of publishing, the cheapest day to fly before the long weekend will be Saturday, September 4. We found that fares average $115 for a one-way flight on this day. The most expensive route to fly is $285 from Los Angeles to New York City.
On average, the cheapest airline to fly is American Airlines and the most expensive are Alaska Airlines and United Airlines.
For more ways to save during the long weekend, check out our roundup of the best Labor Day sales.
Keep reading to compare the cheapest prices for popular destinations during Labor Day.
Labor Day weekend flight deals for Thursday, September 2
| Route | LAX to SFO | LAX to NYC | Chicago to LAX | Miami to NYC | ATL to NYC | ATL to Chicago | Chicago to MSP | ATL to Orlando | Chicago to DC |
| Alaska | $49 | $209 (EWR) | $108 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Delta | $74 | $248 (LGA) | $128 | $49 | $139 (EWR) | $99 | $49 | $87 | $88 |
| United | $49 | $159 (LGA) | $119 | $79 (EWR) | $93 (EWR) | $99 | $59 | $265 | $79 |
| American | $49 | $157 (EWR) | $62 | $95 (LGA) | $128 (LGA) | $76 | $103 | $94 | $86 |
| Southwest | $49 | $285 (LGA) | $119 (MDW) | $196 (LGA) | $188 (LGA) | $99 (MDW) | $103 | $87 | $79 (MDW) |
*The prices seen here are accurate as of August 19.
Labor Day weekend flight deals for Friday, September 3
Route | LAX to SFO | LAX to NYC | Chicago to LAX | Miami to NYC | ATL to NYC | ATL to Chicago | Chicago to MSP | ATL to Orlando | Chicago to DC |
| Alaska | $79 | $209 (EWR) | $108 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Delta | $84 | $150 | $128 | $95 | $169 (EWR) | $136 | $75 (MDW) | $99 | $108 |
| United | $75 | $213 | $119 | $79 (EWR) | $133 (EWR) | $129 | $92 | $265 | $99 |
| American | $68 | $159 (LGA) | $99 | $104 (LGA) | $153 (LGA) | $83 | $103 | $94 | $106 |
| Southwest | $69 | $285 (LGA) | $119 (MDW) | $208 (LGA) | $199 (LGA) | $99 (MDW) | $70 (MDW) | $96 | $99 (MDW) |
*The prices seen here are accurate as of August 19.
Labor Day weekend flight deals for Saturday, September 4
Route | LAX to SFO | LAX to NYC | Chicago to LAX | Miami to NYC | ATL to NYC | ATL to Chicago | Chicago to MSP | ATL to Orlando | Chicago to DC |
| Alaska | $79 | $209 (EWR) | $108 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Delta | $84 | $150 | $128 | $95 | $169 (EWR) | $136 | $75 (MDW) | $99 | $108 |
| United | $75 | $213 | $119 | $79 (EWR) | $133 (EWR) | $129 | $92 | $265 | $99 |
| American | $68 | $159 (LGA) | $99 | $104 (LGA) | $106 (LGA) | $49 | $49 | $88 | $86 |
| Southwest | $49 | $177 (LGA) | $62 (MDW) | $121 (LGA) | $113 (LGA) | $99 (MDW) | $49 (MDW) | $87 | $79 (MDW) |
*The prices seen here are accurate as of August 19.
Labor Day weekend flight deals for Sunday, September 5
| Route | LAX to SFO | LAX to NYC | Chicago to LAX | Miami to NYC | ATL to NYC | ATL to Chicago | Chicago to MSP | ATL to Orlando | Chicago to DC |
| Alaska | $49 | $207 | $108 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Delta | $49 | $248 (LGA) | $128 | $189 | $169 (EWR) | $99 | $49 | $67 | $108 |
| United | $49 | $164 (EWR) | $119 | $79 (EWR) | $202 (EWR) | $99 | $44 | $265 | $99 |
| American | $74 | $155 (LGA) | $99 | $99 (LGA) | $168 | $49 | $103 | $88 | $106 |
| Southwest | $103 | $188 (LGA) | $99 (MDW) | $138 (LGA) | $113 (LGA) | $99 (MDW) | $49 (MDW) | $67 | $99 (MDW) |
*The prices seen here are accurate as of August 19.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day to fly during Labor Day Weekend?
It depends on your route and schedule, but on average the cheapest day to fly on the routes we compared is Saturday, September 4. The next cheapest day is Thursday, September 2.
Where are the best places to travel for Labor Day Weekend?
Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer, prompting millions of people to spend the long weekend traveling near beaches and cities.
We rounded up flight prices for popular US destinations during Labor Day, including San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles. However, the most popular destination we gathered was New York City with common routes from Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Miami to the Big Apple.
How can I find travel deals for Labor Day Weekend?
Find cheaper flights by comparing routes on different airlines, signing up for cheap flight subscriptions such as Scotts Cheap Flights, or by looking up deals on online travel agencies.
In addition, OTAs such as Priceline, Hotels.com, and Expedia has deals sections highlighting ways to save on hotels and flights through discounts and packages.
How do I find cheaper flights in general?
Comparing airfares, checking airlines for special offers, and signing up for newsletters are great options for saving money on airfare. Signing up for subscription services such as Scott's Cheap Flights can also find you cheaper flights. Take a look at our guide to finding cheaper flights.
What airlines have a free cancellation policy?
During the pandemic, airlines have shifted the way you can modify or cancel an existing flight. As a general rule of thumb, getting a refund back in your original payment form is difficult for any airline.
Depending on the type of ticket you initially purchase, changing a flight or getting flight credit towards future travel is doable. American, Delta, Southwest, Alaska, and United do not have change fees for most tickets, and flight credit can be provided for most main fares or higher.
For example, the saver fare on Alaska Airlines is not eligible for refunds or changes 24-hours after booking. Similarly, United's basic economy fares are ineligible for refunds after 24-hours of booking.
To learn more about airline cancelation policies, take a look at this guide to canceling or modifying your flight.