Travel experts around the country have said in recent weeks that there have been large increases in bookings, making for a very busy summer.
With Memorial Day Weekend less than two weeks away, "bookings are surging," as people are more comfortable traveling now than they were during the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent AAA Consumer Pulse Survey.
AAA conducted 5,000 surveys among residents in The Auto Club Group territory from April 13 to 19, with questions surrounding the impact of the pandemic and inflation on travel plans for summer 2022.
"We're hearing from travelers who are eager to return to a sense of normalcy, and it appears that time is finally here," Debbie Haas, Vice President of Travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group, said in a news release.
"Travel bookings are surging, with people who are tired of being home, are ready to explore new destinations and reconnect with family and friends."
In the survey, 79% of people overall said they feel comfortable traveling, while another 65% said they feel comfortable taking a commercial flight.
The survey then asked people to either agree or disagree with the statement in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a tie for the top response, as 88% of people said they agree they are "eager to reconnect with family and friends" and "eager to return to sense a normalcy regarding traveling."
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AAA also recently released a list of the best times to book your Memorial Day Weekend getaway, and said that there had been twice as many bookings of flights, hotels, and rental cars compared to Memorial Day Weekend 2021.
That list showed that the average domestic flight for each day over the weekend, from Friday through Monday, is about $160 more than it was last year.
As prices continue to get more expensive, it's advised to book as early as possible. The survey said that 55% of people plan to travel during the summer season from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Of the people who said they don't plan to travel this summer, 33% said they prefer other times during the year and 31% cited high gas prices.
Like Haas said, "bookings are surging," and it showed in the survey as 56% of summer travelers (1,789 surveys) plan to stay at a hotel or resort and 54% plan to use their own vehicle to take a road trip. Additionally, 32% said they will take a commercial flight, 26% said they'll rent a car, and 23% said they'll rent a house, villa, or room.
53% of summer travelers said that they have booked their trips already. The top destinations are the beach (39%), a major city (27%), a national or state park (27%), a theme park (26%), and a lake (23%).
It's never too late to book a last minute trip, but unless you want to pay a ridiculous amount, then it's time to lock down your summer travel plans before everything is already booked.
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