WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – For those looking forward to getting out of the house to travel this summer, you may need to plan more than in previous years or keep a close eye on your pocketbook.
The demand for travel has caused a surge in prices of airfare, hotels, and car rental rates. Travel agent Angie Webb said it’s taking some people by surprise. “Last-minute travel is just not as possible as it was,” said Webb.
Webb said many things are booking fast. “People are having to either be really flexible with their dates or sacrifice maybe what they were looking for,” added Webb.
Maria Pfister didn’t have the luxury of being flexible. She had to book a flight to California for a family emergency.
“The biggest thing is you find something good, it’s a trick and then you go back and it’s gone, it’s increased,” commented Pfister.
Mason Bringus also spent more than he bargained for on his trip to St. Louis.
“This weekend, like I booked it well over a month out and the ticket was way more than I was expecting,” said Bringus.
Mother-daughter duo Sheri Daniel-Washington and Ashley Collins have had the opposite experience for their upcoming trip to Florida.
“We found a villa for four days and three nights for $150, for a family of six,” mentioned Collins.
They said they have found ways to save through email promotions and Facebook. “The deals are out there,” the duo chimed in.
One thing seems certain, summer travel demand isn’t going to decrease despite higher prices.
“It might discourage it but I’m still gonna do what i’m going to do,” added Bringus.
Webb’s advice is for people to be flexible. “You know at this point you may have to be flexible on where you’re going,” concluded Webb.
According to the Labor Department, airline tickets are up 7-percent for the month and 24-percent from last year. Car and truck rental rates have spiked 12.1-percent in May and gas has risen over 56- percent over the past year.
