Column: South suburban travel agents offer summer travel tips in an uncertain economy

Chicago Tribune

26-05-2025

Amid the kickoff of the summer travel season, south suburb travel agents say concerns about the economy and inflation are weighing on the minds of some clients.
But people are still planning to take summer vacations even as they look for ways to cut costs, and savvy travelers can find good deals.
'They are a little more cautious,' said Corrine Wilkerson, owner and CEO of Homewood-based travel agency MacTravel Services. 'People are still traveling but prioritizing how they travel.'
Pam Carroll, owner, president and CEO of Palos Hills-based travel agency Gadabout Travel, observed that as well.
'They are not giving up the ocean view,' Carroll said of lodging preferences. 'Very rarely does someone want a garden view or standard room. They want the deluxe, but instead of seven nights, they might do five.
'I do think people are concerned about the economy and their 401ks,' she said.
People are looking to get more bang for their buck, and some are opting for cruises because they can be a less expensive vacation option. The cruise industry has recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic.
'Cruises have picked up substantially,' said Carroll. 'You can jump on a cruise for maybe $1,200 for a week. That includes all your food and sometimes it includes the drinks. Five years ago, no one was thinking that cruises would ever bounce back.'
Surveys and forecasts are sending mixed signals on how overall summer travel will ultimately shape up. Fewer Americans are planning summer vacations compared to last year, according to a survey conducted in March by consumer finance company Bankrate. Forty-six percent of survey respondents said they plan a summer getaway, down from 53% last year, the survey found.
Among those opting not to travel, 65% said the reason is they can't afford it. Within that group, 68% said everyday life is too expensive, and 64% said travel is too expensive.
AAA projected 45.1 million people would travel at least 50 miles from home Memorial Day weekend, setting a record for the holiday weekend. That surpassed the previous high of 44 million in 2005.
The forecast reflected an increase of 1.4 million travelers compared to last year. In Illinois, 2.1 million people were projected to travel over the extended holiday weekend, 50,000 more than last year, said Molly Hart, spokeswoman with AAA, the Auto Club Group in Chicago.
Despite the higher Memorial Day travel numbers, the summer season is still a question mark, Hart said. Here in the U.S., some aren't yet ready to lock in their vacations because of economic concerns, she said.
Meanwhile, there has been a dip in travelers coming into the U.S., which has been blamed on unpopular, controversial Trump administration policy decisions. As a result, the travel industry is seeing more availability than they ordinarily would. That's creating discounts and other incentives to fill those vacancies, Hart said. Deals are available on cruises, guided vacations and at resorts.
'You can save hundreds of dollars,' Hart said, while advising consumers not to procrastinate because deals will likely go quickly.
Searches on global travel and technology company Expedia are showing travel will thrive this summer, said Expedia travel expert Melanie Fish, who noted in general air fares are looking lower than last year.
Round-trip domestic airfare for this summer is averaging $265 per ticket, down 3% compared to the same time in 2024, according to the Summer 2025 Travel Outlook released earlier this month by online booking provider and travel data company Hopper. Round-trip airfare to Europe is averaging $847 per ticket, down 8% from last year. Airfare to Asia is averaging $1,337 per ticket, down 14% from last year, Hopper reports.
Travelers can save on air fares by being flexible with travel days and airport choices, Wilkerson said. Check fares out of Chicago, Milwaukee and Gary, she advises those traveling from the metropolitan Chicago area.
Summer vacationers traveling mid-week on Tuesday or Wednesday can save an average of $67 on round-trip domestic flights, $166 per ticket to Europe and $126 per ticket to Asia, according to Hopper.
Travelers can also save big money by letting technology do the work, using apps like Expedia and Hopper to book flights, hotels and rental cars and get fare alerts on the best time to book.
Regarding air fares on the Hopper app, deals listed are specific to certain routes on certain days, so the prices will vary based on what days one is searching, said Hopper senior manager Ellie Breslin.
'Airfares change constantly as tickets sell, departure dates approach and airline revenue managers adjust inventory available based on demand,' Breslin said. 'A price that is available one day may no longer be available within hours. This is why we recommend travelers use a price monitoring tool like the Hopper App.'
Last week, Hopper shared these summer air fare deals that were available to book from Chicago. They included roundtrip flights to:
Deals on Expedia's app last week included $350 roundtrip flights to Mexico City, which is 55% less than typical, and $200 round trip flights to Toronto, which is 50% less than typical, said Fish. Expedia's app uses artificial intelligence to find flights that are not only lower in price than typical, but are good flights as far as short layovers or direct flights and at times when you actually would want to fly, she said.
Hopper's summer forecast found rates at domestic hotels in line with last year, averaging $237 per night. Vacation rentals are averaging $172 per bedroom, per night, or about $340 per night for multi-bedroom homes.
That's in line with last summer. For international travelers, hotels in London, Paris and Barcelona are among the priciest, averaging $350 to $400. Rates are cheaper in Asia, averaging $206 per night in Tokyo and $116 in Bangkok, Hopper notes.
To save money on domestic hotels, skip the hotel stay from Friday to Saturday nights and instead stay Sunday and Monday night. You'll save an average of $86 on your stay, said Hopper. In popular destinations like Las Vegas, Miami or Nashville, one can save between $146 and $296, said Hopper. Booking lodging outside weekends could also give you better hotel choices, Wilkerson said.
Rental car prices in the U.S. are averaging $47 per day, mirroring last summer, according to Hopper. Rentals in Florida are among the most affordable, averaging $26 per day or less in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Tampa. Prices are highest in remote tourist destinations including Bozeman, Montana, where the average rental is $145 per day; and Anchorage, Alaska at $105 per day.
Fish advises bundling your summer vacation to curtail costs.
'If you book your flight and hotel at the same time, you can save an average of $580 on that bundle,' she said.
Also keep in mind, travel advisers could have access to different promotions and discount codes, so seek their help to save money, said Wilkerson.
Fish advises traveling in early summer or in the last half of August.
'Those are the times when crowds are lighter and prices are lower,' she said.