From Travel + Leisure online magazine here.

“We Asked 5 Pros How to Save on Summer Travel Amid Jet Fuel Increases—These Are Their 6 Tips

With airfare up as much as 20 percent, flexibility and smart booking strategies can help cut costs. By Alison Fox, published on April 28, 2026

Summer travel is heating up, but rising fuel prices threaten to put a damper on warm-weather getaways. The ongoing war in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz has forced airlines to cancel flights and fuel prices to soar. In fact, jet fuel prices have more than doubled over the last year, according to the airline trade group Airlines for America, and AAA noted that pump prices are the highest they’ve been at this time of year since 2022.

Flight prices are also up as a result: summer domestic airfare has increased by 10 to 15 percent, and prices for European trips from the United States are up by around 20 percent, according to data from Dollar Flight Club shared with Travel + Leisure.

But that doesn’t mean a dream summer vacation is out of the question. It just means American travelers have to be a bit more creative. “The core message for travelers is flexibility has never been more valuable,” Jesse Neugarten, the founder of Dollar Flight Club, told T+L. “In a normal year, being flexible with your dates and destinations can save 10 to 20 percent. But in this market, it has really escalated. If you can do that, there’s a ton of value still to be found.”

T+L tapped experts from across the travel industry to ask how to save money and navigate summer travel this year. These are their best tips.

Be flexible.
Flexibility is the keyword for summer: flexible with dates, destinations, and airports travelers fly in and out of. “Destination flexibility is the biggest lever, date flexibility is next, and airport flexibility comes in third,” Neugarten said. Considering alternative airports when booking may also translate to big savings, he added.

That could mean flying out of Philadelphia instead of one of the major New York City airports, for example, or choosing John Wayne Airport (SNA) in California instead of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Think about the Caribbean, Mexico, and staying closer to home.

to places like Europe may be experiencing unusually high price increases, but some destinations have more price stability.“If you’re just looking to go away and you haven’t made any plans, the predictably affordable places are going to be your best bet: the Southeast, the Caribbean, and coastal Mexico. We’re still seeing a healthy amount of cheap flights,” said Katy Nastro, a travel expert for Going. “It is further down the list for travelers because these areas tend to be really hot in the summer, really humid, and there is the threat of worse weather and hurricanes.”

Neugarten said prices on these routes may be holding because they tend to be shorter, burn less fuel, and have a lot of competition from low-cost carriers.

Don’t wait to book.
It’s always tempting to wait and see if flight prices go down, but experts say this is not the time to play that game. In fact, they said prices will likely just keep rising.

However, there is often a way to recoup money if prices do drop—as long as you don’t book basic economy, Nastro said. That is because many major U.S. airlines eliminated change fees for non-basic economy tickets.

“I would highly recommend booking that main economy ticket even if it’s going to take a bigger bite out of your wallet,” she said. “That main economy ticket is going to allow you if you have to make any changes and to take advantage of price drops. This year, any savings are major savings.”Set price alerts.

The only way to take advantage of price drops is to know when they happen. And setting price alerts on sites like Google Flights or Skyscanner is a sure way to do that.

But they can also be used to help plan a trip, said James Byers, a group product manager at Google Search.

“If your heart is set on a specific destination, but you’re flexible about when you fly, you can use price tracking for ‘Any dates’ and get an email about price drops for flights departing in the next three to six months,” Byers said.

Be strategic about road trips
Like jet fuel, gas prices have also been affected by global events. However, Nastro said the price at the pump is “more reactive to the market” and could “come down more suddenly than jet fuel.”

Travelers opting to stay closer to home and rent a car may want to start their trip earlier in the week, as this can lead to greater availability and lower rates, said Adnan Manzur, the senior vice president for North America customer operations at Hertz. Thursdays and Fridays are typically the busiest days for renting a car at an airport.

“Being a smart traveler isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about making a few thoughtful choices that save time and money upfront so you’re not paying a premium for it later,” Manzur said. “Travelers today are looking for experiences that feel seamless and are a good value. A little foresight … can stretch a travel budget much further.”Be prepared for changes

Airlines may be cutting flights, but experts said they tend to focus on less-profitable routes, off-peak times, routes with multiple daily flights, and smaller markets. In the U.S., Nastro said carriers are “making cuts at the margins.”

“They’re looking at where they make razor cuts,” she said. “I’m sure airlines are hedging their bets. It’s easier for them to add flights back… and they’re trying to be as cautious, but as surgical as possible.”

But in Europe, Nastro added, this could make hopping between countries by plane more difficult. Instead, she recommended travelers use trains or “keep your trip centralized, sticking to one country, sticking to destinations that don’t rely on short-haul flights.”Investing in travel insurance can also help with uncertainty. And travelers are taking advantage: last year, Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection reported a 12 percent increase in total policies purchased. And they’ve seen a 7 percent increase in the first quarter of this year.

“Our position is always safety and security while traveling,” said Carol Mueller, a VP at Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection. “And we want to make sure, no matter where people choose to go and what their budget is, that they feel comfortable and can find the right travel insurance for that type of trip.”

In a mere three days, we will step off the ship once again, trading the gentle sway of the sea for the steady ground beneath our feet. There is always something bittersweet about that moment. This floating world that has carried us across miles of ocean becomes a memory almost overnight. Yet, waiting for us at the port will be something just as meaningful, the warm smiles of our dear friends Rita and Gerhard.

The thought of that 2.5-hour drive together feels like a continuation of the journey rather than an end. Conversation, laughter, and familiar connection will fill the space between destinations. Our four nights in Vancouver, Washington, will offer a chance to settle, to breathe, and to spend time with our dear friends.

Then, onward again to Minnesota, with hopes of passing through Yellowstone National Park, where nature reminds us how small and fortunate we truly are.

Be well.

Photo from ten years ago today, May 5, 2016: