Travel Planning Tips for Your Summer Vacation
Looking for summer travel tips? You’re in luck because we have some advice courtesy of The Today Show and other travel experts to make sure you plan ahead for the holiday weekend and for your summer vacay!
For Memorial Day Weekend, more than 37 million people will travel by car, 3.4 million by air, and 1.9 million by bus or train, according to AAA. So, just we pulled together a few helpful ways you can save money and plan ahead for not only the holiday weekend but for your next summer vacation, too!
Traveling by Car
According to Today.com, gas prices are a dollar cheaper than they were in 2022, which means more people are more inclined to hit the road this summer. To save money at the pump, you may want to consider:
Use apps like GasBuddy.com as well as apps such as Google and Gas Guru (Apple| Google) and Waze will help you find the cheapest gas prices. Just keep in mind that in exchange for some discounts, you may have to give up some of your personal data.
Pay with cash which can be up to 10 to 15 cents off per gallon of gas versus using a credit card.
If you belong to any gas/gas station loyalty program, get the app or look for those incentives because those types of discounts can add up.
Traveling by Air
According to travel experts Mark Ellwood and Chris Elliot, if you’re going to the most popular destinations – Las Vegas, NYC, and Orlando for example – you will pay a premium price to get that ticket, but if you have some flexibility, you can save money. Here’s how:
- Book the earliest flight.
- Consider a mid-week flight.
- Consider an alternate airport if possible.
- Fly between Memorial Day and July 4 for the cheapest airfares.
- Look for packages that include hotel and airfare, but it may be hard to cancel the package if something goes wrong.
Avoid Price Surge with Shared Rides
Another helpful tip is for travelers who use shared ride services (think Uber and Lift) to get to and from the airport. You can avoid a surge in prices by booking your ride in advance if you already know when you plan to leave.
4 Ways to Avoid Travel Scams
Finally, as you’re planning for your summer vacation with your significant other, friends, and or chosen family, you should also be aware of some travel scams that can be easily avoided, too!
The Federal Trade Commission stresses the importance of doing your own research on the travel company or the place you’re interested in staying.
- Do a simple search using the name of the travel company or hotel along with the word “scam.” It’s a quick way to use the internet to determine whether or not a hotel, resort, or specific travel company is legit.
- Always look at the fine print when it comes to the cancellation or refund policy.
- Never pay if the company or business is asking you to pay via a wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
- If the prices are too good to be true on home shares or vacation rentals… it’s usually a red flag. So, be flexible to take the extra steps to make sure you’re not getting scammed!
