Paula Tweedale, senior vice president of AAA Travel, said in a news release that the number of travelers from Thursday through Monday is expected to be close to 44 million. “We haven't seen numbers like this in nearly 20 years.” “We expect an additional 1 million more people to travel this weekend compared to 2019. Not only does this mean we have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, but it also marks the arrival of a very busy summer travel season. It means to.”
Travel advisors say the numbers confirm customer enthusiasm. John Lovell, president of Travel Leaders Group, said the family has been planning this summer since last year and has already booked trips for spring break and the summer of 2025. People said they realized early on in the pandemic how much benefit travel was having on their lives. I've made it my top priority ever since.
“What we hear every day is that people are so excited to be out in the world again,” said Mel Barton, coordinator of the Crucon Cruise Outlet.
For the millions of people traveling for the upcoming weekend or months, here are some important tips to keep in mind.
Airfare gives us a break
back to menu
Flight prices this weekend (or during the summer) should be cheaper compared to last year, and even compared to pre-coronavirus times.
Domestic flights over Memorial Day weekend cost an average of $260 as of last week, down 9.5% from a year ago, according to flight booking app Hopper.
“This trend is likely to continue through the summer,” said Haley Berg, chief economist at Hopper.
In his outlook for the summer, Hopper said domestic airfares averaged $305 per ticket in June, July and August, down 6%. Since last summer's sticker shock, flights to Europe have also become cheaper. Berg said the average airfare of $950 for a European flight from June to August fell 8%.
Still, this is about 15% more expensive than the cost of a flight ticket in 2019.
Part of the reason why more people are traveling and airfares are cheaper is simple. This is because the number of seats that are filled has increased.
Hopper said domestic airlines added about 1 million seats over the Memorial Day weekend, which runs from Thursday to next Tuesday, an increase of more than 6 percent.
“We fully expect airlines to be ready for that,” Berg said. “Due to the disaster of cancellations and delays in 2022 due to the pandemic, they only added back the capacity they could sustain. Barring unforeseen weather, no major meltdowns are expected.”
According to aviation analysis firm Cirium, the number of seats flown domestically from June to August this year increased by more than 15 million seats, or 5.6%, compared to last year.
Scott Keyes, founder of cheap flight alert service Going, said all of this could provide some relief for travelers.
“Airlines can fit more capacity and more flights into their schedules, resulting in lower fares and more headroom,” he said.
New refund rules still don't help
back to menu
There probably won't be an airline meltdown this summer, but it's better to prepare for the worst. Passengers should be aware that they are entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly delayed and they are ultimately unable to travel.
By the winter holidays, new rules will be in place that will require airlines to automatically refund passengers in such cases. However, the rule also covers refunds for significantly delayed baggage and additional services not provided, and does not apply to summer travelers.
To receive a refund before the rules take effect, travelers should request a refund from their airline and be prepared to ask for a refund instead of a voucher or flight credit.
Travelers should refer to the Department of Transportation's customer service dashboard to see what other benefits are available in the event of airline delays or cancellations. This determines which airlines will, for example, book passengers on alternative airlines, provide meal vouchers, provide ground transportation, or pay for hotel accommodations if travelers are stranded. becomes clear.
Alaska Airlines kicked off a pricing trend in January by raising the price of checked bags from $30 to $35. American Airlines followed suit the following month, followed by United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways raising prices. This is the first time in several years that some airlines have increased prices for checked baggage.
Keyes said he expects several airlines to increase baggage fees at the beginning of the year, and it will be interesting to see if baggage fees change after the DOT's new fee rules go into effect.
For now, “don't be shocked if your bag costs $5 more than the last time you traveled,” he warned.
Sale in Florida, Mexico and Canada
back to menu
Travel experts have compiled some of the most budget-friendly summer flights for The Washington Post. Look at Colorado, the Caribbean, the European countryside, and the beach regions of Mexico.
Kayak, a booking site, uses its summer forecast to suggest the lowest average summer airfares. Florida, Mexico, and Canada all rank high on the list.
Top cheap flights domestically include Minneapolis, Orlando, and several Florida locations (Tampa, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale). Internationally, Canada (Toronto, Montreal, Calgary) and Mexico (Guadalajara, Mexico City) lead the way.
Mr. Pekoske reminded travelers that firearms are not allowed in security screening areas, secure areas of airports, or in airplane cabins. Passengers who wish to travel with guns must follow a list of rules, including keeping them unloaded, locked and in checked baggage. Anyone who passes through a security checkpoint with a firearm may be arrested or cited by local authorities and may be subject to TSA fines and loss of PreCheck eligibility.
“As you can imagine, having a firearm at a checkpoint definitely slows down the process, not just for that individual, but for everyone else at the checkpoint,” he says.
Pekoske said 2,300 firearms have been detected at security checkpoints so far this year. Last year, that number was more than 6,700.
“We're not seeing the decline that we would like to see,” he said.
The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas also warned travelers heading to the Turks and Caicos Islands to carefully screen their luggage for weapons or ammunition. Five Americans were arrested on charges of ammunition possession while traveling to a Caribbean destination and could be sentenced to 12 years in prison.
“If you bring firearms or ammunition into TCI, even inadvertently, we cannot guarantee your release from custody,” the embassy said.
