With summer on the horizon, travelers are gearing up for warmer weather and potential spikes in flight prices.
According to forecasts from booking platform Hopper, roundtrip flight prices for domestic getaways are expected to peak around $315 this summer, with fares beginning to climb in May. The highest prices are anticipated towards the end of May and early June.
While these figures may rival or even exceed those of 2023, they still fall below pre-pandemic levels from 2019, noted Hayley Berg, Hopper’s lead economist.
Berg explained, “Slightly lower domestic airfares come as seat capacity has fully surpassed pre-pandemic levels and demand for summer travel remains strong among American consumers. Airlines have achieved higher capacities by adding larger planes on routes rather than adding more flights as they remain constrained on physical supply of new aircraft.”
In terms of international travel, airfare prices remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels across most regions, although they are not as steep as last summer’s five-year highs, particularly for flights to Europe and Asia. Notably, Canada is experiencing a 7 percent increase in prices compared to last summer and a 32 percent increase compared to 2019.
However, travelers bound for Europe may find relief, with flights averaging at $882, significantly lower than the average of $1,167 recorded last summer.
Aside from higher prices, Berg cautioned travelers to anticipate increased disruption rates during June, July, and August. Consequently, Hopper has observed a growing trend of travelers opting for rebooking services to mitigate the risk of cancellations or delays.
Regarding accommodations, hotel prices are currently averaging $206 per night, consistent with costs at this time last year.
While major U.S. cities remain popular, Hopper noted a growing interest among domestic travelers in exploring “smaller, more off-the-beaten-path cities and towns” this summer, such as Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Cody, Wyoming, and Bar Harbor, Maine.
Internationally, Osaka, Japan, emerges as the top trending summer destination, followed by trips to Seoul, South Korea, and Nice, France.