SMYRNA, Ga. – With the summer travel season in full swing, it appears more travelers could be hitting the highway this summer as their preferred method of travel, rather than flying the friendly skies.
Experts predict fewer – and therefore more expensive flights – flights this summer. Domestic fares are expected to be up 9 percent this summer, CBS News reported, though some estimates indicate airfare could climb even higher.
“It is going to be very stressful to fly this summer. Fewer flights to choose from and more crowded planes lead to more delays, missed connections and cancellations,” Rich White, executive director of the Car Care Council, said in a news release. “That doesn’t paint a pretty picture for those thinking about flying.
“Driving is simply more convenient and less hectic than flying, and dramatically less costly – a much better deal,” White added.
According to the American Express Spending & Saving Tracker, 33 percent of Americans are planning to drive instead of fly as a means to save money.
Still, the Air Transport Association of America (ATA) said it anticipates 176 million people will travel domestically this summer – about the same amount that traveled last summer. However, the 26 million people that ATA estimates will travel internationally represents a 7 percent increase from last summer.
“We anticipate that the summer 2010 air travel season will be very modestly ahead of last year,” ATA President and CEO James C. May said in a news release. “We would like to see even more growth, but this slight uptick in the number of air travelers is a positive sign for an economy and an industry in recovery.
“One particular challenge that remains this summer is high jet fuel prices,” May added. “We anticipate that jet fuel prices will be approximately 20 percent higher than last summer’s prices. This means that even as demand continues to gradually improve for air travel, we face rising fuel prices once again, which could hamper recovery efforts.”
At the Annual Leisure Travel Summit, George Hobica, creator of Airfarewatchdog.com, indicated “fare deals (this summer) will be few and far between.”
“If you see something within your price range, grab it,” Hobica said. “Airfares to Europe are at an all-time high so a traveler’s best bet is to stay domestic, though bargains will still be hard to come by. Train travel is another affordable option for travelers to consider.”
Note: Hobica’s comments were taken from a news release about the Annual Leisure Travel Summit.