Ready to book that summer vacation this year CT? Here’s what you need to know.
This year’s robust spring break vacation bookings are likely to be just a warmup for a summer travel season that could be one of the strongest in the aftermath of the pandemic but also one of the priciest, especially for air travel.
But experts in the travel industry say cost isn’t necessarily deterring vacationers from firming up their plans.
“I’m actually still hearing and seeing people who are recovering from the COVID stay-at-home syndrome or whatever you want to call it,” Chris Lawrence, a travel agent at Chris Lawrence — Escapes for Everyone in Newington. “People seem to be willing to spend a little more money to take their family away. I’m seeing a lot more family vacations.”
Compared with 2023, Lawrence said her business has nearly doubled this year for summer vacation planning.
Tens of millions of Americans are expected leave home to travel this summer, with nearly half planning to take a trip that requires a flight or hotel stay, based on an online Harris Poll survey of 2,000 U.S. adults commissioned by NerdWallet, the personal finance company.
The poll found the travelers will spend, on average, $3,594 on these expenses.
Newington resident Christine Sawyer said she plans to spend just shy of that — $3,200 — on a 7-day trip to Ireland in July.
Sawyer dipped a toe into travel last year for the first time since COVID hit with an excursion to Scotland to visit family. For her trip to Ireland, Sawyer is traveling solo — her family doesn’t like to fly — and she expects to pay about $1,000 roundtrip airfare to Dublin from Bradley International Airport.
Sawyer said she saved money by traveling by herself but also joining a group tour that includes some meals and attraction fees.
“It appealed to me, especially since I was traveling solo, to have that group environment,” Sawyer said. “I’ve never actually tried it before, so I wanted to try something new.”
Lawrence, the Newington travel agent, said that is typical of many of her clients coming out of the pandemic.
Travelers don’t necessary come in expecting to pay $1,000 for a roundtrip ticket abroad, Lawrence said. But once they understand the dynamics of the travel expenses going into the summer, they may look for ways to shave costs rather than give up the vacation.
“People are looking at life differently,” Lawrence said, now that the pandemic is over. “They’re like, ‘those dreams I had or the things I’ve been putting off, you know what? I just want to do it.”
Lawrence said international travel — especially to Europe — is shaping up to be a popular this summer, even more so than the “all-inclusive” resorts in the Caribbean. Some popular destinations include Italy, London and Paris. But most travel experts recommend avoiding Paris during the Olympics.
It adds up
This summer, more than 118 million Americans will spend a total of $424 billion on airfare and hotel stays, the NerdWallet survey found.
For those flying, international airfares are generally lower than last year, according to Hopper, the travel platform, but still are significantly higher than before the pandemic. For instance, European destinations average $882 roundtrip, down 10% from 2023, but still 10% above 2019, according to Hopper.
Jet fuel prices and the airline struggles with building their fleets of aircraft post-pandemic are contributing to elevated ticket prices.
Hopper economist Hayley Berg said in a recent outlook report that jet fuel prices are down by 4% from last year.
“Though (jet fuel) prices are lower than last year, it’s important to recognize that prices remain 34% higher than at this time in 2019 and more in line with prices seen 10-plus years ago than those low prices seen in more recent years,” Berg wrote.
Troubles at major aircraft manufacturers and their engine suppliers are contributing to the problem, slowing down production. In particular, Boeing Co. has come under intense federal scrutiny for its workmanship after a door plug blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max as it flew over Oregon.
Airlines also are contending with staffing shortages — also tied back to the pandemic — that is constraining the number of flights and leading to cancellations.
The outlook for domestic airfares, according to Hopper, is brighter. The fares are generally lower than before the pandemic, but are expected to rise modestly through May, before monthly single-digit percentage declines heading into the fall.
Low-cost Avelo Airlines, which flies out of Tweed New Haven Airport to domestic destinations, said it expects a strong summer travel season out of Connecticut this year. But it is still too soon to forecast just how strong, given spring break vacations are just wrapping up and travelers are just now turning their attention to summer, Trevor Yealy, Avelo’s head of commercial operations, said.
“I think its shaping up to be a good summer across the industry,” Yealy said. “What I think we’ll find is there is still plenty of healthy demand for domestic air travel.”
Yealy noted a trend, however, he believes is industrywide that passengers on domestic flights are waiting longer than in the past to purchase tickets.
When travelers reach destinations, the cost of hotel stays is expected to be in line with last year. Most travelers are choosing where to stay based on value, according to Hopper — the best combination of price and amenities. The most sought after amenities are free breakfast, internet connection and easy access to pools or the beach.
Car rentals are averaging $42 a day. The rental prices are up just 3% from a year and a dramatic improvement from 2021 when “pandemic fears and low supply of rental cars results in record-high daily rates,” Hopper’s Berg said.
Airport passenger recovery
At Bradley International Airport, a strong travel season this summer could help bring passenger traffic levels closer to those prior to pandemic.
In 2023, the airport logged 6.24 million passengers, an increase of 7.8% compared with 2022. The number of passengers — arriving and departing — was the highest since the pandemic in 2022.
But the total was 7.5% below the 6.75 million passengers in 2019.
Connecticut’s largest airport was expecting 125,000 passengers with April vacations that just wrapped up last week. If the projections meet the forecast, the April vacations could provide a potent lead-in for the summer.
“Currently, we do not have any official projected numbers (for summer travel), however, an upward trend is being forecast nationally for air travel and we expect to see strong demand at Bradley International Airport, too, as people in our region take to the skies for their summer vacations,” Alisa Sisic, an airport spokeswoman, said, in an email.
For travelers this summer, AAA recommends these tips:
? Book early: Flights, hotels, tours, cruises and car rentals remain at a premium. The earlier you book, the better your chance to lock in favorable rates and take advantage of discounts for pre-paying.
? Work with a travel adviser: Air travel disruptions such as flight delays or cancellations are not uncommon. An advisor can help you explore options, book best deals and advocate on your behalf should any issues arise, ensuring the best possible travel experience from beginning to end.
? Get TSA PreCheck: With the increase in air travel expected to continue this year, airports will be busy and security lines will be long. Air travelers can get through checkpoints faster by taking advantage of a TSA PreCheck.
? Protect your investment: AAA strongly recommends travel insurance. A solid policy provides a safety net should something unexpected happen ahead of or during your trip. Policies vary, so talk to your travel advisor about options. They know you, your trip, your budget and your specific needs and can easily walk you through what travel insurance policy makes the most sense.
? Protect your ID: In addition to protecting physical documents such as your passport, travelers should take extra steps to avoid identity theft, an inconvenience at any time but especially when traveling.
?Track your luggage: Pack peace of mind by including a tracking device in your luggage. That way, if your luggage does not arrive when you do, at least you will be able to see where it is and ensure its safe return.
?Exchange for foreign currency in advance. Exchange in advance to ensure you have some money on hand as soon as you touch down.
Kenneth R. Gosselin can be reached at [email protected].
