Gas and airfare hit record highs during Labor Day weekend travel

Labor Day weekend travelers are facing record-high fuel costs and elevated airfares, with peak highway traffic expected to continue until 8 p.m.

The national average gas price has reached $4.14 per gallon, which is 33 cents above the previous record.

In the Charlotte area, drivers are paying an average of $3.86 per gallon. Those opting to fly face steep costs as well, with AAA reporting that domestic flight prices are up about 20% compared to last year.

Despite the expense, Charlotte Douglas International Airport expects to see more than 920,000 passengers pass through its terminals through Sept. 8.

Drivers traveling along Interstate 85 in Gastonia reported feeling the financial pressure at the pump.

Lancaster resident Justin Faile, who commutes an hour daily, said the high fuel costs made his usual holiday road trip to visit family in Florida unaffordable this year.

To manage expenses, some motorists are using technology to search for lower fuel prices.

Greg Jones of Greensboro waited to refuel until reaching Grover, where he and his wife used a gas-finding mobile application on their way to Georgia.

His wife, driver Jaden Jones, noted that both are college students who work. “We are both working, but with the economy everything’s changing so anything to save money will help,” Jones said.

Other drivers stopped just across the state line in South Carolina, where the state average is about 10 cents cheaper per gallon and up to nearly 20 cents lower at certain stores.

Even with the regional discount, prices remain well over a dollar higher than what drivers paid last year.

Driver Klaus Werner shared his perspective while refueling. “I try not to think about it, and I just go ahead and pay it,” Werner said.

Air travel presents similar financial hurdles. For those traveling by air, Charlotte Douglas International Airport anticipates that 220,000 of its total expected 920,000 holiday passengers will begin their travel in Charlotte, while the majority will be passing through on connecting flights.

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