Hey, Destination Fun-seekers!

 

Summer travel is heating up, but rising fuel prices threaten to put a damper on warm weather getaways.

 

The ongoing war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced airlines to cancel flights and fuel prices to soar. In fact, jet fuel prices have more than doubled over the last year, with pump prices the highest they’ve been during this same time of year since 2022.

 

Flight prices are also up as a result: summer domestic airfare has increased 10 to 15 percent and prices for European trips from the United States are up around 20 percent, But that doesn’t mean a dream summer vacation is out of the question. It just means American travelers have to be a bit more creative. Here are some tips from industry experts:

Flexibility is the watchword for summer: be flexible with your dates, destinations, and departure airports.Destination flexibility is the biggest lever, followed by date flexibility and airport flexibility,

 

Considering alternative airports when booking may also translate into big savings,. That could mean flying out of Philadelphia instead of one of the major New York City airports, for example, or choosing John Wayne Airport (SNA) in California instead of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

It’s always tempting to wait and see if flight prices drop, but experts advise against this right now. Prices are more likely to keep rising.

 

However, you can often recoup money if prices do fall—as long as you avoid basic economy tickets. Many major U.S. airlines have eliminated change fees for non-basic economy tickets, so booking a main economy ticket could actually save you money by allowing free changes should the price drop. This year, any savings really count.

The only way to catch price drops is to know when they happen. Setting price alerts on sites like Google Flights or Skyscanner is a sure way to do that.

 

These alerts can also help with trip planning. If you have your heart set on a specific destination, but are flexible on when you fly, you can track prices for ‘Any dates’ and receive emails about price drops for flights departing in the next three to six months.

Like jet fuel, gas prices have also been affected by global events but pump prices tend to be more reactive to the market and could drop suddenly.

 

Travelers opting to stay closer to home and rent a car may want to start their trip earlier in the week since it can translate to more availability and lower rates. Thursdays and Fridays are typically the busiest days to rent a car from an airport.

Airlines may be cutting flights, but these reductions usually affect less profitable routes, off-peak times, multiple daily flights on the same route, and smaller markets. In other words, carriers are making narrow, strategic cuts and are positioned to add flights back if demand resurges.

 

For Europe travel, country hopping by plane may be more challenging. Instead, consider trains for short trips or focus on exploring multiple regions within one country to streamline your travel.

Travel today requires a bit more thought and flexibility, but these simple strategies can save you time, money, and stress while still delivering the seamless, memorable experiences you deserve. If you’d like expert help crafting your perfect summer getaway amidst this shifting landscape, don’t hesitate to get in touch.