After two years of cancellations, delays, and marathon sessions with airline customer service, many travelers are hoping to book summer flights that will actually end this year.
“May 2020 has been completely off work,” says Catherine Ng, director of an engineering program in Los Angeles. Ing had planned to visit Europe and Morocco but had to cancel and rebook for the following year, 2021. These new plans were eventually scrapped because they had not been fully vaccinated by May, and travel restrictions hampered.
“Fortunately, canceling flights was easy due to the COVID cancellation policies,” says Ng. However, while the refund was great, it didn’t scratch the itch to actually take a vacation.
Many travelers, who have been bitten twice by skewed summer plans, still shy away from repeating it again this year. Even experts have given up trying to predict the vicissitudes of the pandemic next. But no matter what happens, travelers can maximize their chances of summer travel success with just a few simple steps.
Book flights soon
Travel is not just back. It’s back roar.
“We’re really into 2019 airfares,” says Adit Damodaran, an economist at Hopper, a travel booking app that tracks flight price trends. “We have already exceeded our initial price expectations.”
Prices are rising in part due to increased consumer demand, but volatile oil prices may play a larger role. When the conflict in Ukraine caused some travelers to back off their trips to Europe, fares didn’t follow suit.
“In Europe, demand is falling, but prices have not gone down with it,” Damodaran says. “In fact, they have increased. Airlines can proactively adjust fares to match changes in fuel prices.”
Regardless of the reason, travel costs are unlikely to drop significantly before the peak summer travel. So booking sooner rather than later may help you avoid getting out of this travel season.
Keep flexible
The pandemic has led to one consumer-friendly change: Most airlines and hotels now offer more flexible booking options. And if the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that no trip, no matter how well-planned, is safe from disruption.
The best way to find flexible booking options depends on a range of factors, but a few simple rules apply.
- Avoid traveling by basic economy aircraft as no changes or cancellations are allowed.
- Select hotel rooms with free cancellation. Sometimes these rates are slightly higher than their non-refundable counterparts.
- Read the rental policies carefully. Services like Airbnb and Vrbo generally allow hosts to choose their cancellation policy.
Data from Huber shows that the number of basic economy bookings made on its platforms fell significantly in 2021 after airlines introduced more flexible options for other fares. Now, these ultra-low rates make up only 20% of total bookings compared to nearly 40% before the industry change.
Choose destinations wisely
Even if COVID-19 cases decline throughout the spring and summer, it may be some time before all international travel restrictions follow suit.
“I was planning a trip to South Korea, but I couldn’t handle the seven-day hotel quarantine,” says Ng, citing the country’s strict rules. Ng chose to visit Europe this summer, where there are currently no such restrictions. She feels more confident that the rules about COVID won’t suddenly change before her trip or, worse, during her trip.
When choosing a destination, start with countries that have restrictions commensurate with your risk tolerance and work backwards.
Of course, these restrictions can be avoided by sticking to domestic travel, but many travelers are keen to head abroad.
Make a backup plan – or several
Even with all these precautions in place, anything can happen. Another rush, a shift or a military conflict could upset the best laid plans, which is why it’s important to back up.
First, after planning your main trip, consider making some fully refundable reservations for a separate second trip. This can be a hedge to ensure that you don’t have to book everything at the last minute during high season. Just don’t book an airline ticket unless it’s really refundable – most main cabin fares are redeemed as vouchers with the same airline, which isn’t nearly as good as cash.
Second, sketch out an idea for a third trip, with the intent of booking it at the last minute if the original plans fail. This step can psychologically help to avoid losing strength when plans change.
Finally, consider taking multiple shorter trips during the summer rather than one long trip to a single destination. Not only does this approach protect against potential destination-specific shutdowns, but it can also help make up for lost visits during the pandemic.
This article was written by NerdWallet and originally published by the Associated Press.
