Whether it’s squeezing in a quick camping trip to Ohiopyle or stacking vacation days for a languid week in the south of France, a swarm of Pittsburghers are expected to pack into cars and pile onto flights this weekend for the last gasp of summer travel.

For those traveling somewhere in the U.S this weekend, flights, hotels and car rentals are cheaper this year than they were last year, according to the travel organization AAA.

Summer is the busiest time of year at Pittsburgh International Airport — this summer has been the second busiest at the airport in the past 20 years, according to Bob Kerlik, director of public affairs at the Allegheny County Airport Authority. A wave of new flights have taken off at the airport including daily trips to London on British Airways, a nonstop flight to Los Angeles on American Airlines and a JetBlue flight to New York.

 ”We’ve seen a lot of people take advantage of those new routes and that’s what is helping to drive some of the growth,” Kerlik said.

A crush of more than 85,000 passengers are scheduled to fly out of Pittsburgh International over the weekend. The busiest time to fly out of the airport is on Friday in the morning or early evening. Travelers should aim to arrive at least two hours before their flight if they’re traveling during peak times, Kerlik said. Passengers can peek at the current security wait times on PIT’s website.

As for those sticking closer to the ground, travelers should plan to hit the road before lunch if they want to avoid gridlock. The earlier, the better, according to AAA. Traffic gets worse as the day goes on, particularly on Saturday — the most congested day of the weekend.

Gas prices around the country this summer have remained low, with an average gas price of $3.32 per gallon in Pennsylvania, on Aug. 27. That’s lower than the average a year ago of $3.52 per gallon in the state, according to AAA.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission expects to see a surge of traffic this weekend. They project 2.85 million cars, trucks and motorcycles will buzz along on its roadways — a slight increase from Labor Day weekend last year.

To beat traffic, holiday drivers can check current traffic conditions or check conditions from past years on the state’s website before they head out.

Travellers in Italy will have new flight options in the coming months, as several airlines add or expand routes to and from the country’s major airports.

While many seasonal routes to and from Italy are closing at the end of summer, new routes instead promise connections to cities from Porto to Tel Aviv.

Budget carrier Wizz Air is stationing additional aircraft at Naples, while EasyJet is launching new connections from Milan and Rome. National carrier ITA Airways will offer its first direct flights to Mauritius from Rome.

READ ALSO: Rome’s Fiumicino rated ‘best airport in Europe’ again

Here’s a list of the new flights confirmed so far for the autumn-winter season 2025.

Milan Malpensa

EasyJet

• To Strasbourg, France: Starting Thursday 7th November 2025 – Two weekly flights (Monday and Friday) are listed on Strasbourg airport’s website.

Milan Linate

EasyJet

• To Porto, Portugal: Starting Sunday 26th October 2025 – Easyjet earlier this year announced four new flights per week (Monday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday)

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Naples

Wizz Air 

The company has said it will base a second Airbus A321neo at Naples airport starting October 2025, expanding routes with a total of 45 new flights to:

• Brasov, Romania: Starting Thursday 16th October 2025 – Three weekly flights (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
• Tel Aviv, Israel: Starting Tuesday 28th October 2025 – Three weekly flights (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday)
• To Chisinau, Moldova: Starting Tuesday 15th October 2025 – Four weekly flights (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)
• To Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt: Seasonal route extended year-round 

Rome Fiumicino

ITA Airways

• Mauritius: Starting Friday 7th November 2025, ITA has announced two weekly flights (departing Fridays and Sundays at 10pm, arriving 11.20am next day)

EasyJet

• Strasbourg, France: Starting Thursday 28th November 2025 – Two weekly flights (Monday and Friday).

See The Local’s Italian travel news section for more travel guides and updates.

Dreaming of Thailand’s white sands, fragrant street food and lush jungle escapes? The Land of Smiles is looking to sweeten the deal for travellers with a bold new plan: free domestic flights for international visitors.

If approved by the cabinet, the campaign – “Buy International, Free Thailand Domestic Flights” – will run from September to November 2025, giving 200,000 foreign tourists a free round-trip flight within Thailand when they book their international flights through participating airlines or agencies.

Six local carriers, including Thai Airways, Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways, are already on board, as previously reported by Euro News.

What’s included?

• The government will subsidise up to THB 3,500 (around R1,900) for a return flight.
• Each ticket comes with 20kg of checked baggage.
• Only travellers arriving by air will qualify (bus and boat entries won’t count).
• Existing bookings made before the programme launches won’t be eligible.

Why free flights?

Thailand wants tourists to go beyond well-worn favourites like Bangkok, Phuket, and Chiang Mai and venture into lesser-visited provinces packed with temples, authentic cuisine, and quieter beaches. The tourism ministry hopes the promotion will generate THB 8.8 billion (about R4.1 billion) in revenue from a THB 700 million budget.

Tourism struggles continue

The move comes as Thailand’s tourism industry battles to regain its pre-pandemic stride. Nearly 40 million visitors arrived in 2019, but the country is now expected to welcome only 33 million in 2025, short of its original 39 million target. Safety concerns and regional tensions have also dented its image.

To draw travellers back, the government has delayed entry fees, lifted visa restrictions for Chinese visitors, launched digital nomad visas – and even floated the idea of casinos. The free-flight campaign may be its most attention-grabbing move yet.

For now, those eyeing Thailand should keep an eye on official announcements before locking in their travel dates.

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