Europe Flights from $129. Antarctica Cruises 25 Percent Off. These Are Our Favorite Labor Day Travel Deals.

01.09.2023 - 15:25 / afar.com / Christmas Market / Cruises

As the days grow shorter and the evenings cooler, Labor Day Weekend in the United States marks a bittersweet moment: it serves as the unofficial conclusion to the summer travel season.

While it may be summer’s final hurrah, it doesn’t mean you need to stay home. Many airlines, cruise companies, and hotels have recently rolled out promotions during the long holiday weekend that could help travelers plan their trips through shoulder season, into the winter, and beyond.

Here are the best Labor Day weekend travel deals we’ve spotted to hopefully inspire those future getaways.

There are still four months left in 2023, and if you book a Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic sailing before September 15, you can receive 25 percent off any Category 1 cabin. And on some of the sailings, the solo premium is waived. Some standout itineraries include:

American Queen Voyages is inviting river cruisers to spend the holiday season with them—and they’re offering up to $3,000 off, plus $600 air credit and $200 onboard credit for guests who do. The savings are only available on the line’s Thanksgiving, Christmas Market, and New Year’s Celebration sailings, most of which sail between Memphis and New Orleans on the Mississippi River. Use code 2023HOLIDAY to unlock the deal.

Fly to Amsterdam with Play Airlines for as little as $159 one-way during the carrier’s current promotion.

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Reykjavik-based low-cost carrier Play Airlines could get you from the East Coast to Iceland for as little as $129 and Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, and London for just $159 one-way if you book your trip by September 4. The discounted rate is good for trips taken between October 2023 and March 2024.

Play was founded in 2019 and launched transatlantic service in December 2021. The no-frills, low-cost airline is reminiscent of the former Icelandic budget carrier Wow Air—in fact, much of the executive team, including Play CEO Birgir Jónsson, hail from Wow. What should you expect if you do fly with Play? We recently reviewed the experience, which involves flying across the Atlantic in bright-red narrow-body Airbus planes in rows of six, three seats on each side of the aisle. There is a single class: economy. The seats have adjustable padded headrests and not much else: no power outlet, Wi-Fi service, or seatback screens. There are also a lot of additional fees and customer service is online available via Facebook, Whatsapp, or email.

Our special airline correspondent Barbara Peterson concluded that “if all you want is a more affordable flight to Europe, Play will deliver on that front. Given the exorbitant prices you’ll be charged for flying across the Atlantic this year, this upstart offers an attractive alternative and, as a