Expert Tips for Saving on Summer Travel

Summer travel is heating up, but rising fuel prices threaten to put a damper on warm weather getaways.

The ongoing war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced airlines to cancel flights and fuel prices to soar. In fact, jet fuel prices have more than doubled over the last year, according to airline trade group Airlines for America, and AAA noted pump prices are the highest they’ve been during this time of year since 2022.

Flight prices are also up as a result: summer domestic airfare has increased 10 to 15 percent and prices for European trips from the United States are up around 20 percent, according to data from Dollar Flight Club.

But that doesn’t mean a dream summer vacation is out of the question. It just means American travelers have to be a bit more creative. "The core message for travelers is flexibility has never been more valuable," Jesse Neugarten, the founder of Dollar Flight Club, said. "In a normal year, being flexible with your dates and destinations can save 10 to 20 percent. But in this market, that has really escalated. If you can do that, there's a ton of value still to be found."

Here are the six top tips from travel industry experts on saving on summer travel.

1. Be Flexible

Flexibility is the key word for summer: flexible with dates, flexible with destinations, and flexible with where travelers fly in and out of. "Destination flexibility is the biggest lever, date flexibility is next, and airport flexibility comes in third," Neugarten said.

Considering alternative airports when booking may also translate to big savings, he added. That could mean flying out of Philadelphia instead of one of the major New York City airports, for example, or choosing John Wayne Airport (SNA) in California instead of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

2. Think about the Caribbean, Mexico & Staying Closer to Home

Flights to places like Europe may be experiencing unusually high price increases, but some destinations have more price stability.

"If you're just looking to go away and you haven't made any plans, the predictably-affordable places are going to be your best bet: the Southeast, the Caribbean, and coastal Mexico. We're still seeing a healthy amount of cheap flights," said Katy Nastro, a travel expert for Going. "It is further down the list for travelers because these areas tend to be really hot in the summer, really humid, and there is the threat of worse weather and hurricanes."

Prices on these routes may be holding because they tend to be shorter, burn less fuel, and have a lot of competition from low-cost carriers.

3. Don’t Wait to Book

It’s always tempting to wait and see if prices for a flight go down, but experts said this is not the time to play that game. In fact, they said prices will likely just keep rising.

However, there is often a way to recoup money if prices do drop—as long as you don’t book basic economy. That is because many major U.S. airlines did away with change fees for non-basic economy tickets.

"I would highly recommend to book that main economy ticket even if it's going to take a bigger bite out of your wallet," Nastro said. "That main economy ticket is going to allow you if you have to make any changes and to take advantage of price drops. This year any savings is major savings."

4. Set Price Alerts

The only way to take advantage of price drops is to know when they happen. And setting price alerts on sites like FareCompare, Google Flights or Skyscanner is a sure way to do that.

These tools can also be used to help plan a trip, said James Byers, a group product manager at Google Search.

"If your heart is set on a specific destination, but you’re flexible about when you fly, you can use price tracking for ‘Any dates’ and get an email about price drops for flights departing in the next three to six months," Byers said.

5. Be Strategic about Road Trips

Like jet fuel, gas prices have also been affected by global events. However, Nastro said the price at the pump is "more reactive to the market" and could "come down more suddenly than jet fuel."

Travelers opting to stay closer to home and rent a car may want to start their trip earlier in the week since it can translate to more availability and lower rates, said Adnan Manzur, the senior vice president for North America customer operations at Hertz. Thursdays and Fridays are typically the busiest days to rent a car from an airport.

"Being a smart traveler isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about making a few thoughtful choices that save time and money upfront so you’re not paying a premium for it later," Manzur said. "Travelers today are looking for experiences that feel seamless and are a good value. A little foresight … can stretch a travel budget much further."

6. Be Prepared for Changes

Airlines may be cutting flights, but experts said they tend to focus on less profitable routes, off peak times, routes with multiple flights per day, and smaller markets. In the U.S., Nastro said carriers are "making cuts at the margins."

"They're looking at where they make razor cuts," she said. "I’m sure airlines are hedging their bets. It's easier for them to add flights back… and they're trying to be as cautious, but as surgical as possible."

But in Europe, Nastro added this could make country hopping by plane more difficult. Instead, she recommended travelers use trains or "keep your trip centralized, sticking to one country, sticking to destinations that don't rely on short haul flights."

Investing in travel insurance can also help with uncertainty. And travelers are taking advantage: last year, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection reported a 12 percent increase in total policies purchased. And they’ve seen a 7 percent increase in the first quarter of this year.

"Our position is always safety and security while traveling,” said Carol Mueller, a VP at Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. “And we want to make sure, no matter where people choose to go and what their budget is, that they feel comfortable and can find the right travel insurance for that type of trip."