The holidays are quickly approaching even though the leaves are only just starting to change color in many parts of the country.
The booking process and the travel experience are both being negatively impacted by growing rates for those who are planning to travel, whether it is to see family or use up unused vacation time.
According to a survey conducted by market research and analytics company YouGov in mid-October, the majority of adults in the U.S. who have traveled in 2022 or anticipate doing so by the end of the year because of the approaching holiday season said rising prices have forced them to change their travel plans.
67% of these Americans who were traveling indicated they would try to save costs by staying closer to home, driving rather than flying, taking shorter visits, or limiting activities and excursions at their destination.
According to Hopper, domestic airline prices for the Thanksgiving holiday season were similar with 2019 levels.
But as the holiday draws near, those prices are anticipated to rise sharply.
Flights around Christmas are even more expensive than around Thanksgiving.
Winter holiday flights have occasionally reached their highest prices in the last five years as a result of reduced flight schedules, many of which airlines proactively cut ahead of the busy holiday season to avoid the widespread cancellations and delays of the previous two years, rising jet fuel prices, and pent-up demand, Hopper reported in September.
Not to mention the other economic concerns and the quickly rising inflation.
In fact, the YouGov study found that more than a third of Americans (37%) will spend less on holiday travel this year than they did before the COVID-19 outbreak, despite the economy forcing travelers to pay more for everything from airline to gas to hotel rooms.
For instance, Michele Allison stated that she will be visiting family in Jamaica over the holiday season.
The hotel costs are in line with what she has previously observed, but the cost of the flights seems absurd.
To save money, she made her travel arrangements back in February, yet even then she complained that "the costs were excessive."
Allison remarked that she often anticipated holiday travel from New York to Jamaica to cost roughly $950.
These flights currently cost more than $2,000 each.
Since she made her reservation at the beginning of the year, they have almost quadrupled.
I couldn't miss another year since I hadn't been home for Christmas since 2019, Allison remarked.
"Airlines are aware that consumers are missing out on holiday vacation, friends, and family...
and they are abusing the situation.
It is obvious that high costs do not prevent people from travelling, but at the moment, saving money is of the utmost importance.
Affordability is the top concern for American adults who will be traveling this year, with 70% saying that it matters when choosing a trip.
In order to avoid the interruptions, delays, and cancellations that have dogged the industry since travel started up this year, more than half (55%) are also seeking nonstop or direct flights wherever possible.
Leaning heavily on point and mile redemptions and taking into consideration alternate locations in order to reduce the expense of holiday travel.
To test if they would match online pricing, one traveler claimed they had been getting in touch with hotels personally.
Connie Grodensky, a different traveler, claimed that costs had an impact on the length of her journey; however, rather than being forced to shorten her stay, she is staying longer on the East Coast.
In order to obtain a better deal on an award ticket, Grodensky claimed she will be staying "a bit longer."
She stated, "It suited in my budget this way.
There are additional factors that could make a longer stay more worthwhile.
Staying longer and receiving a free night is one of the best methods to lower the cost of lodging while traveling, according to Moffitt.
If you have a credit card that offers a free night reward or certificate, you can get outsized value from that perk when traveling over the holidays, when prices tend to be higher. For instance, when you redeem your Marriott Bonvoy points for a reward stay of five nights or more, you'll receive the fifth night free.
Don't wait another second to finalize your travel arrangements if you're one of the travelers who intends to take to the road (or the sky) for the holidays.
You can reduce travel costs by using points and miles, being flexible with the dates and length of your trip (flying on the holiday itself can be especially advantageous for budget travelers), and taking advantage of credit card price protection features in the event that the cost of your ticket drops after you've made your reservation.
Vacation rewards could at least provide some consolation for travelers who are also paying more than normal on their holiday travel.
"I suggest looking for award travel on or close to the dates you intend to depart for the holidays."
"Use the points and miles you have to check multiple programs."
For instance, because he used Delta SkyMiles to book award tickets to visit his parents, will save more than $700 this holiday season.
Consider your alternatives and compare different transfer partners if you have transferable points to get the best value.
Of course, some travelers will pay any amount to get back to their regular lives and enjoy visiting their loved ones for the holidays.
Chris Prigmore, a different person, claimed that she is spending twice as much as she usually would to visit friends for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
She made the decision to continue with her ten-year regimen and to pay the price.
Prigmore remarked, "I wasn't interested in another interruption after having a solo Christmas season in 2020 and returning to [my] routine in 2021."
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