Advice on how to deal with the increasing summer travel crowds.
Every year in the weeks leading up to June, travel surveys abound as marketers in the US gauge the intentions of consumers when it comes to summer vacation.
Now that all the predictions are in, it sounds like we have a whopper of a summer travel season ahead of us. That’s great news for the travel industry, which is finally recovering from a downturn that began in 2008. But great news for the industry likely means higher prices and bigger crowds for travellers.
Below are a few summer travel stats and some advice on how to deal with them:
Flying
Despite significantly higher fares, the Air Transport Association expects a 1.5% increase in the number of travellers on US airlines this summer as compared to last summer. US carriers will fly 206 million passengers between June and August — a big number, but still less than the record-breaking summer of 2007 when nearly 218 million passengers hit the skies.
Tip: Although fares are up overall, most discounts can be found on Tuesday or Wednesday flights, the slowest travel days during summer. Many of the so-called summer fare “sales” are full of blackout dates and other restrictions limiting travel to specific days.
Hotels
Midscale hotel giant Best Western reports that advance bookings for US hotel stays between June and August are up more than 4% as compared to this time last year. Much of that bump can be attributed to an increase in international visitors travelling to the US, especially from Asia, said Best Western.
Tip: When searching for hotel deals, look beyond the lowest rate. Some hotels include extras like breakfast, wi-fi or parking in the rate. Some don’t, which can lead to unpleasant surprises at checkout.
Business Travel
The Rubicon Group, which tracks forward looking data from hotels, says advance reservations made by business travellers for stays between June and August are up 8% year over year, even though average room rates are up 5%.
Tip: During the summer, bargain hunters will find exceptionally low weekend rates at hotels at or near large convention centres or suburban office parks that typically cater to business travellers during the week.
Crowds
A poll by TripAdvisor reports 86% of US travellers will take vacations this summer, up from 83% who travelled last summer.
Tip: If you don’t like crowds, avoid the peak season, which runs from late June through late August. Avoid travel on busy Friday and Sunday afternoons. Those with flexible schedules should wait until September or October when crowds are lighter and prices are lower.
Driving
In the same TripAdvisor poll, 39% of travellers said rising gas prices are affecting their summer travel plans. And 21% said they would be willing to spend at least ten hours driving to their destination if it meant significant savings over airfare.
Tip: Consider the five-hour rule: If it takes less than five hours to drive to your destination, take the car. Longer than that? It might be worth it to bite the bullet and fly, especially if you are time-constrained.
Spending
Six in ten Americans plan to travel this summer, with 71% prepared to spend more on transportation according to a USA Today/Gallup poll. Some 44% plan to spend more on food, hotels and activities.
Tip: If you can’t expand the budget for your summer vacation, then contract the length of the trip.
Chris McGinnis is the business travel columnist for BBC Travel