Vacation travel prices are rising as travelers are returning to pre-pandemic booking styles.
Key Details
- Travel prices are rising as travelers return to popular spring break spots and fly on weekends.
- Domestic airfare is averaging $264 a round trip for March and April, up 20% from a year ago and 5% above pre-pandemic levels, according to travel app Hopper.
- The higher prices are coming during prime travel time. For example, a Spirit Airlines flight from Detroit, Michigan, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is selling for $411.78 before fees, such as seat selection or cabin baggage, from April 7 to April 16, while a shorter April 8 to April 15 trip was $233.78—saving nearly $200, according to CNBC.
Why it’s news
Travel costs are surging as travelers settle back into pre-pandemic booking styles like spring break, holiday trips, and weekend getaways.
Demand for spring break had declined during the pandemic as people were not traveling as much due to travel bans, but now booking numbers have surged, causing airfare and hotel rates to rise during the popular break months of March and April.
Domestic airfare is averaging $264 a round trip for March and April, up 20% from a year ago and 5% above pre-pandemic levels, according to Travel app Hopper.
Airfare typically rises during these months due to travel popularity, but this year it is a mix of popularity, pilot shortages, and aircraft delivery delays keeping the prices high.
Now that the pandemic has subsided, people are returning to familiar destinations during the peak season, causing prices to skyrocket, and travel experts say the key to saving money—be flexible.
Experts say travelers can cut costs by not vacationing on holidays which are typically the busiest, and avoiding return flights on Sundays because that is one of the most active airline days.
“The busiest days of the week are returning to your Fridays and Sundays,” says Spirit Airlines chief commercial officer Matt Klein. “The best deals and the best offers should be on Tuesdays, and Wednesdays would be my expectation.”
Travelers can cut hundreds of dollars if they are willing to shift dates and times they are willing to travel. All they need is to be flexible.