When to expect the heaviest Labor Day traffic in Seattle

Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with locals and tourists looking for a last summer hurrah.

Why it matters: Nationwide, more than 17 million people are expected to fly from Thursday to Tuesday — the busiest Labor Day travel period on record, the TSA projects .

• But travel may present even more challenges than a typical holiday weekend in the Puget Sound area with several state ferries out of commission.

Driving the news: Washington State Ferries is expecting more than 300,000 people aboard the ferries between Thursday and Monday but is operating with only 15 out of 21 vessels, primarily due to crew shortages, Ian Sterling of Washington State Ferries told Axios.

• Plan for longer lines and wait times , the ferry system said .
• The busiest sailings for vehicles will likely be westbound or onto an island Thursday through Saturday and eastbound, or off island, Saturday through Monday.

Pro tip: To reduce or eliminate ferry waiting time, consider walking or biking or taking an early-morning or late-night sailing.

Catch up quick: The cyberattack last weekend at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is not affecting aircraft operations, but the airport's website, WiFi and phones remained down as of yesterday, Port of Seattle spokesperson Perry Cooper said in an email.

• Monday is expected to be the airport's busiest day with 193,000 passengers traveling through the airport, Cooper said.

Significant traffic is expected throughout the Seattle area tomorrow and Saturday, especially along Interstate 90 and Interstate 5, and at exits leading to popular destinations like Mount Rainier and the Olympic Peninsula.

Zoom out: The worst times to drive anywhere are 1–7pm Thursday, 2–6pm Friday and 8–11am Saturday, per AAA and Inrix .

• AAA suggests traveling before 11am Thursday, before noon and after 7pm Friday, or Saturday after 12pm.
• On the way home, avoid traveling 2–8pm Sunday, 11am–8pm Monday and 8am–noon Tuesday.
• Look to drive back before noon on Sunday, before 10am Monday and after 1pm Tuesday.

Yes, but: Gas will likely be cheaper than it was about a year ago .

• Washington's average price for regular gas this week is $4.17 a gallon , compared to $5 a gallon last year at this time, per AAA.

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