Does anyone know what day it is?
Asking for a friend…we had a later start this week. What’s going on in travel news? We’ve got more updates for more countries easing COVID-19 restrictions, things to watch out for and an airline that’s adding a new route. Plus, we have some ideas for saving money with car rentals and a low-key way you can help the planet. Since we already feel a tad behind (thanks to the short work week), let’s jump right in.
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The pre-check
With COVID-19 restrictions constantly in flux and some travel brands trying new things, here is what’s going on in the world of travel.
- C’mon over, c’mon over neighbors.
Homeland Security is feelin’ real friendly. It was announced yesterday that the US will start to open up the Canadian and Mexican borders to fully vaccinated travelers beginning as soon as next month. Start washing up now, we have visitors coming! More on this announcement here. - Who’s starting to open up even more.
Not us after a few too many drinks…the British government announced last Thursday that it will continue to ease travel restrictions in the coming week. The move was made in order to free up some long-distance destinations for the holiday season and to hopefully reunite loved ones across the pond. More on these changes here. - The UK isn’t the only place changing things up.
The trend of easing COVID-19 travel restrictions continues with countries across Asia including India, Vietnam, and Indonesia. Here are the deets: India is opening its doors to travelers starting November 15th, Vietnam planning to be fully reopened by June 2022 and Bali maving moves to open up to international travelers as of Thursday (TBD on when Americans will be included on that list). More on those rewriting the rules here. - Ready to explore new directions?
Sure, but where are we going? New Hampshire, apparently – Spirit Airlines announced last week that it will now have non-stop flights between Manchester Airport to Florida and South Carolina. This is the first new airline to enter the group chat at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in 17 years, more about these new-comers here. - Someone’s working on time management.
To be fair, it’s a hard skill to master. Virgin Voyages took to the seas last week for the first time after months of pandemic-related delays with their sights set on timing out their shipboard activities for the better. They’re working with new systems, including an app for passengers, to help avoid long waits for things like dinner reservations, shows, and other onboard events. More on these nautical upgrades here.
Trending travel
Here’s what is trending according to our data and how it can help you make the most of your trip.
Renting a car from the airport? Read this first.
Picture this: You’ve just landed at your destination now you’ve gotta get the heck out of the airport with a rental car from an airport agency. So you board the seemingly endless terminal buses for the “convenience” of grabbing a rental on-site. Plus, you may think, it’s not like there’s a big price difference. Well, think again. Based on our data, grabbing a car from the airport versus picking up in the city could actually cost you more.
Based on searches from April to September 2021, renting a car (domestically) was 8% cheaper when picking up from a city as opposed to the airport. However, the real cost difference depends on location. For example, airport car rentals were 25.5% more expensive in Massachusetts but 3.2% less expensive in Delaware or Kansas*.
Our advice? Look before you book.
Based on this info, we recommend booking a car from a city agency versus an airport agency if you’re looking to save some cash money. Even better? You can compare prices using our rental car search tool – just be sure to explore your options ahead of time. The earlier you book, the better the savings.
States with the most and least expensive car rentals
Most expensive airport rentals
Massachusetts: Airport rentals were 25.5% more ($129.34 vs. $103.03)
South Carolina: Airport rentals were 21.5% more ($139.50 vs. $114.82)
Rhode Island: Airport rentals were 20.1% more ($114.33 vs. $95.16)
Oregon: Airport rentals were 18.6% more ($115.90 vs. $97.70)
South Dakota: Airport rentals were 16.6% more ($194.97 vs. $167.28)
Least expensive airport rentals
Delaware: Airport rentals were 3.2% less ($82.64 vs. $85.38)
Kansas: Airport rentals were 3.2% less ($91.48 vs. $94.52)
Minnesota: Airport rentals were 2% less ($108.06 vs. $110.22)
Arizona: Airport rentals were 1.4% less ($108.26 vs. $109.84)
Mississippi: Airport rentals were 0.7% less ($94.08 vs. $94.76)
Tricks of the trade
Where we share tips or hacks that might’ve been missed in your prior KAYAK experience.
Can you fly and keep the planet in mind?
Whether you’ve seen it in the news or trending on social media, many have been trying to find more resources for how to fly while being mindful of our carbon footprints. If finding greener flight options is important to you, we recommend trying our CO2 sorter.
What’s the deal with this search filter? It helps you find ways to fly more sustainably. The CO2 sorter, which officially launched earlier this year, calculates CO2 emissions to help climate-conscious travelers make more sustainable decisions. The CO2 emissions per flight route are calculated based on a number of factors including aircraft type, travel class, passenger load, cargo capacity and more.
Travelers can now sort their flight options by CO2 emissions, price and travel time for a more comprehensive search experience. Ready to take this filter for a test-drive? Use our guide to finding a greener flight.
Wish we were here
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*Methodology: Searches on KAYAK.com (US) were conducted between April 1 and September 30, 2021 for travel at anytime. Looking at rental car pickup in city vs airport.
