Why You Really Shouldn’t Wait to Book Your Summer Trip
For most people, travel during the coronavirus pandemic has been strictly on an as-needed basis. This is likely to change this summer. If you’re fully vaccinated with KN-95 in hand and ready to get the hell out of Dodge, don’t put off booking your rides any longer – now’s the time to take advantage of low prices and better perks before they run out. forever.
Get over the rush
It’s hard to say exactly how much more travel will increase this summer, but as many states and cities in the United States loosen pandemic-related security measures and open international borders, one thing is certain: many more people will be traveling. travels more than ever in the past two years. ( The federal mandate for indoor masks expires April 18, 2022 , but the Transportation Security Administration has already renewed it once and may do so again.)
Reading between the lines of recent summer 2022 travel forecast articles, it’s clear that airlines and travel companies are betting that this pesky “minimum demand” will disappear very soon. This is never good news for consumers. Ticket prices are about to go up — going up a lot — and will stay that way for the foreseeable future. Book now while it’s still available or at least less available .
Customers have power – for now
The coronavirus pandemic caused an immediate drop in demand for flights (and some hotels) that has yet to recover. In addition to lowering prices, this has inspired some airlines to attract customers by offering them more perks for less money. The most common benefit is exemption from flight change and cancellation fees for main cabin fares. (Unfortunately, rescheduling base economy and budget rates still costs money.) Some hotels are following suit, especially in major cities that have lost their usual business travel clientele.
Supposedly – ostensibly – airlines will continue to waive cancellation and change fees until 2022. (Presumably.) However, as any seasoned traveler knows, airlines just love fees; it is a mistake to take them at their word when they say otherwise. Booking flights now just makes sense: Not only will your tickets be cheaper than they will be in a few months, you’re also less likely to get screwed over if you need to reschedule.
Renting a car doesn’t get easier
Renting a car has never been such a headache. Due to increased demand, a global shortage of microchips and a panicked decision to sell 770,000 vehicles at the start of the pandemic , this trend is likely to continue into 2022.
There is no good news for car renters here. For one thing, you literally won’t be able to get a vehicle if you wait too long. On the other hand, reserving a car months in advance doesn’t guarantee you’ll get the one you want, or even any car at all, and if you want your money back, you’ll have to spend hours on the phone with customer support to get it. Only you can know which strategy works best for you.
Avoid Third Party Booking Providers
Ultimately, there is little you can do to protect yourself from a rental car nightmare or any other last-minute travel disaster. However, you can reduce the stress associated with travel uncertainty by booking rates and accommodation directly with the respective service provider. Using Expedia, Kayak, or another similar company can save you some money, but if your plans change, you’ll almost certainly be forced to switch between their customer service and that of an airline, hotel, or car rental company. This is especially frustrating if you are trying to return something expensive, such as an international flight. Save yourself the headache and book everything through the company’s website; you may still need to spend hours on the phone with customer support, but at least you will only have to deal with one company.
If there’s one thing to keep in mind when planning trips this summer, it’s about changing your plans. COVID-19 is far from over and the possibility of yet another option can never be discounted – especially now that the Powerful Ones have adopted a “let’s tear” approach to mitigate transmission. Nothing is guaranteed, so book accordingly: skip anything non-refundable and read the fine print before you commit. Worse than a canceled vacation can only be a canceled vacation that cannot be returned.