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The Points Guy expert tips, lowest prices for summer travel
The Points Guy expert tips, lowest prices for summer travel

New York Post

time26-05-2025

  • New York Post

The Points Guy expert tips, lowest prices for summer travel

Summer is usually the time of year when people are gearing up to book their flights, pack their bags and set their OOO email replies — leading to crazed airports and sky-high travel prices. Contrary to what most people would think, according to Eric Rosen, the director of travel content at The Points Guy and a Kayak report, flight prices for summer travel are down 7% year-over-year. 'It's quite significant for prices to drop that much,' he told The Post. So, if you've been looking for a sign to dust off your suitcase and scrounge around for your passport this summer — let these money-saving travel hacks be it. Go international 8 Lucky for international jetsetters — flight prices to hot spot places like Sydney and Milan are down right now. Shutter2U – Rosen said international airfare is seeing an even greater price decrease, with flight tickets to long-haul hot spots like Sydney, Hong Kong and Berlin — down by 23%, 16% and 13%. And if you've been daydreaming of a romantic European vacation, run, don't walk to book it because airfare prices to destinations like Stockholm and Milan are currently down close to a whopping 20%, Rosen shared. Go Fourth 8 Summer holiday weekends usually lead to busy airports — but this year, people are a bit hesitant to hop on a flight to go somewhere. Luiz C. Ribeiro for New York Post While the hot season has people excited about travel — it's expectedly always worse during July 4th and Labor Day weekends, as those dates are usually a pricey, in-demand time to book a trip. And that might still be the case this year — but to a certain extent. Rosen said he and his team are seeing a 'softening of demand' in travel for these dates due to confusion and fear evoked by President Trump's tariffs, the new Real ID rules — and of course some of the chaos going on at airports — looking at you, Newark. Save your coin 8 It's important to keep in mind that even if you didn't get your Real ID yet — you can use your passport in lieu of it. Jenna Hidinger Photo – Luckily, there are a few ways sightseers can take advantage of this hesitation among American travelers. Regarding the tariffs, if travelers are planning to vacation outside the country this summer, Rosen said they should try to prepay for hotel accommodations or transportation in a foreign currency. 'Especially a strong one like a euro, the British pound or New Zealand dollar — you want to lock that in now because we're not sure what will happen with price fluctuations due to currency shifts,' he advised. To do this, you first need to exchange your currency into the foreign one, then make a payment through a bank transfer or online payment platform, like PayPal. And with the recent Real ID rules, keep in mind you can use a valid passport in lieu of it for travel, but if you choose this route, Rosen said to make sure you allow yourself extra time at the airport, 'in case TSA asks you questions' — which is a possibility. Find a hidden gem 8 Soon, people will be able to hop on a United Airlines flight from the US to Greenland. Cavan – Another way to save some dough on summer travel this year is to think outside the box and explore hidden gem vacation spots. Rosen told The Post that travelers can do this by searching for off-the-beaten-path routes that airlines are adding to their network — and in turn skipping the hefty travel prices and elbow-to-elbow crowds of annoying tourists. Rosen said on June 7, United Airlines is launching routes to Madeira — a stunning autonomous region of Portugal, which, according to him, is dubbed the Hawaii of Europe. This under-the-radar spot will give travelers 'that European feel' with a short flight. 'United is also putting a Greenland — which is in Denmark — flight into service on June 14, which could be interesting for folks who want to take an adventure-type trip,' Rosen suggested. Explore America 8 If travelers can handle the heat, Rosen suggests checking out Tucson, Arizona, because it has a lot going on there in the summer. jdross75 – If you don't want to be bothered with flying, considering that gas prices are also easing up, and prefer to have a summer staycation, Rosen said to check out 'some wonderful places in your backyard you might not have considered that's within driving distance.' For some inspiration, Rosen recommended Tucson, Arizona, if you can handle the summer heat — because it has 'a lot of food festivals happening this summer.' 'Indianapolis, Indiana, interestingly enough, has a ton going on right now. They just opened the Intercontinental Hotel there, which is their first luxury hotel in nearly two decades. Buffalo, NY, also has a ton going on [this summer] in terms of festivals and new restaurant openings,' Rosen explained. Consider a staycation 8 Staying local during the summer can score you otherwise hard-to-get restaurant reservations. Adobe Stock And if your idea of a staycation is staying local, especially if you live in a major city, according to Rosen, there are most likely a ton of great hotel deals in your surrounding area. 'Rates are lower — probably a fraction of the price you would normally be paying — because people are leaving the city,' he told The Post. 'Reservations would probably be available at their [hotel's] fabulous restaurants, you probably can't get into otherwise and there will most likely be room at the pools and spas.' Keep an eye on your bookings 8 Keeping an eye on the price of your reservations will allow you to save money in the long run. REDPIXEL – Whether you're galivanting off on a faraway vacation, taking a road trip or staying local, if you really want to nickel and dime your summer travel and time is on your side, try to 'garden your reservations.' 'We always tell people to garden their reservations — which is to make a reminder to check in once a week or so on your flight or hotel reservation,' Rosen said. 'If that airfare drops between the time you book it and the time you fly, you can cancel it (depending on which type of ticket you have), rebook and save some of that money as a credit towards a future reservation,' he explained. 'And same with hotels. You might book something several weeks out that costs $600, and you find that the price drops to $400. If you've booked a refundable reservation, save yourself that money and book a new reservation.' The magic booking day? Not quite 8 It turns out there isn't a 'magic day' to book travel to save a buck. Sergei Fedulov – Speaking of saving money on reservations, not to burst anyone's travel bubble, but Rosen said there is no such thing as booking a trip on a certain day of the week to spare your wallet. 'Airlines and hotels have very sophisticated algorithms determining those prices,' he said. 'You're not going to game the system by waiting until 12:01 a.m. on a Tuesday to purchase your ticket.'

Summer travel may actually be cheaper to certain destinations, expert says
Summer travel may actually be cheaper to certain destinations, expert says

Yahoo

time24-05-2025

  • Yahoo

Summer travel may actually be cheaper to certain destinations, expert says

(NEXSTAR) – With Americans feeling like their wallets are being stretched thinner and thinner, some families may be ruling out travel this year to save money. But for those who still want to get out of town, there are deals to be found. As the tourism industry braces for a rough year, American travelers could luck out by finding good deals or less crowded hot spots. 'It's twofold,' said The Points Guy Senior Editor Becky Blaine. 'On one hand a lot of destinations and hotels will be offering deals to attract visitors. On the other hand, we could see less overall visitation, which means places like your national parks might not be as crowded.' 'Think back to the first summer of 2020 with COVID,' she continued. 'I personally took my family on a nine day trip to the Western national parks. We went all the way up through Utah and into Wyoming, to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons and Arches National Park, because I knew we might never see our parks that empty ever again with international travel shut down. Well, now international travel is not shut down, it's just lacking demand.' US destinations report tourism drops. Will it lead to cheap summer travel? We aren't experiencing 2020-levels of travel disruption, but there substantial questions remain on how depressed tourism will be this year. 'We're kind of staring down at this summer of uncertainty in a lot of ways,' said Blaine. Towns near national parks are concerned a drop in summer travel will mean fewer tourism dollars. Other places that rely heavily on international tourism are also bracing for impact. A Las Vegas tourism report released last month, for example, showed showed visitation and hotel occupancy were down year-over-year. If you're looking for hotel deals, Blaine advised, think of 'tier one' destinations. 'When we say 'tier one,' it's usually the first place someone who is newly coming to the United States, they might check one of those big cities off the list first.' Drivers could see cheapest Memorial Day gas prices since 2021 Places like New York, California and Florida are popular with international travelers, but may now be looking to draw in more domestic tourists with lowered prices. The Western U.S. and its impressive landscapes are also usually a big draw for European travelers – who may or may not show up this year. 'Anecdotally, I was just doing research for my own vacation for the first week of June,' Blaine recounted in mid-May. 'You can still book cabins in Grand Teton National Park. You can still book camping spots in Grand Canyon National Park. That is unheard of.' Those looking for cheap travel need to keep their eyes peeled for sales and limited-time deals, Blaine said. She rattled off several hot sales happening in May, such as a New York to Hawaii roundtrip flight for $449 (usually over $800). For those booking with points, American Airlines had great values to Barcelona and Air France had a deal to Athens, she said. The Points Guy and other travel publications post about these types of deals regularly. In order to save big on travel this year, flexibility is key. If you're open in terms of timing and destination, try reading about travel sales and picking from there. You can also explore Google Flights, which lets you explore cheap flights from your home airport to anywhere in the world. 'You can use that explore map and look across the US and be like, 'Hey, I just want to go somewhere. I'm flexible. Who's got some cheap airfare?' And start that way if you don't particularly have a set place in mind.' Those without school-aged kids should consider taking their summer vacation a little later, in September or even October, when prices tend to drop across the board. Flying out on the day of a holiday, like on Fourth of July, can also save you cash, Blaine advised. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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