Holiday travel is becoming more expensive, but some travelers are finding ways to make their plans work. Melissa Cuomo and her family initially saw round-trip fares from New York to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic priced at $2,000 per person. The fares later rose to $3,000, so Cuomo searched for alternatives.
She found JetBlue group rates for parties of 10 or more. For her family of 15, the rates came to just over $1,000 per ticket, saving the group about $30,000, she said.
The experience reflects a broader challenge for people planning trips around Thanksgiving, Christmas and the week before New Year’s Day: prices are higher, but travelers are adjusting how they book and where they stay.
Four in 10 consumers planned to travel this holiday season, according to a holiday outlook report from consulting firm PwC, a slight decline from last year. Among those with travel plans, 38 percent said they intended to save money by choosing budget or midrange hotels.
Jonathan Kletzel, PwC’s U.S. travel, transportation and logistics sector leader, said demand to travel remains. He pointed to strategies including booking early, choosing flexible reservations and rebooking without a penalty when a lower price becomes available after purchase.
Sources: The New York Times Travel.