The Labor Day weekend unofficially marks the end to the summer season. So to soak up the sun one last time, millions of Americans packed their bags and left home. However, with airfare and gas prices both up from this time last year, Americans faced a potentially more expensive trip.

AAA estimates each vacationer will spend $50 more this Labor Day weekend. That correlates with flight costs up nearly ten percent this year. The more expensive flights join the ranks of pricier hotel rooms and increased gas costs as well. But economists say it's all thanks to consumer confidence taking flight once again.

"Generally on holiday weekends we'll see an increase in traffic,” Michael Guljas said. Guljas is the director of administration and finance at the South Bend Regional Airport.

The airport generally handles 141 commercial flight arrivals every week. However, on Saturday alone, 70 private planes landed at the airport for the Notre Dame game. In July, the airport saw 60,000 passengers walk through its terminal and make flights 72 percent full. But over the Labor Day weekend, Guljas says some airlines are reaching 95 percent capacity on certain flights.

For the 91 percent of travelers that did not take to the friendly skies, the Indiana Toll Road served as the next best option. AAA reports 34.4 million Americans left home this weekend. That number is up nearly ten percent from last year, causing toll road troopers to double their manpower.

"With the Labor Day holiday weekend and the Notre Dame traffic, the traffic was probably quadruple what we normally have,” State Trooper Gretchen Deal said. Deal said Monday would once again bring an increase in toll road traffic as vacationers returned home.

At the Granger KOA campgrounds, there was no vacancy; all 100 campsites sold out. One of those sites went to a Granger family that wasn't about to backpack its way across America.

"The lights were with me so it probably only took me five minutes to get here. We had no toll roads, no airports. The only thing I had to deal with was the railroad crossing and there weren't even any trains,” Granger resident Kathy Harting said.

No trains or planes and just a five minute ride in an automobile and voila the Harting family vacation came about in Granger style.

"Unless you stayed at home I don't think it gets any easier,” Harting said as she laughed around a campfire.

KOA owners say camping is both easy and cheap. The 475 KOA sites worldwide generally do not charge more than $50 for a standard RV plot each day.