Candy is out, cornucopias are in.
Well dang, would you look at that: it’s time to start scheming for Thanksgiving. This week’s news revolves around a recent travel trend, an airline making a fun change and how some are using their OOO days. We also have a bit about booking on Black Friday and making the most of your next National Park trip. Time to light up that cozy spiced candle and find out what’s going on in the world of travel.
The pre-check
A recent trend with domestic airlines, where people are planning to go in 2022, a welcomed change to the US passport and so much more, we’ve got the latest in travel news to get you up to speed.
- See EU soon.
According to recent travel data, many have already started to plan trips to European destinations next year. As we’ve seen from our own numbers, searches for flights and hotels have started to increase as more countries continue to ease COVID-19 restrictions. Don’t forget to set a Price Alert and use up those extra vacay days. - Speaking of leaving the country…
The US passport is getting an upgrade. It was announced last week that the US State Department issued the first official passport with the gender marker “X.” This change was made in an effort to be more inclusive for travelers who identify as nonbinary, intersex or gender-nonconforming. This change should be an available option to passport holders starting early next year. - Other good passport news.
The dreaded extra-long wait times for US passports are beginning to ease up, according to a recent Washington Post article. Though it is still recommended that those hoping to renew or apply for a passport should do so 6 months in advance, the US Department of State announced last week that the wait time for passports is down from 12 – 18 weeks to 8 – 11 weeks. - Remember to pack patience.
A recent trend that’s affected US airlines? Canceled flights. This past Monday, American Airlines had to cancel some 300+ flights, in addition to the thousands canceled over Halloween weekend, due to inclement weather and staff shortages. This is not so different from what Southwest Airlines experienced a few weeks ago. Friendly reminder to do some deep breathing as we all try to adjust to travel challenges that may arise during the holidays. - The in-flight bar cart gets an update.
Last week, United Airlines announced that they will resume hard liquor sales. In-flight beverage service will pick back up starting Nov. 15 on select domestic, Canadian and Latin American flights. Cheers!
Trending travel
Here’s what’s trending according to our data and how it can help you make the most of your trip.
Already thinking about holiday shopping?
Us, too – with talks of delivery delays and labor shortages, even last-minute gifters have started thinking ahead. But you know what never goes out of stock? Travel. If you’re planning to give the gift of travel this year, we have some insights on the whole Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday debate (i.e. which one is better for booking).
Our advice? It all depends on the destination you’re gifting.
First off, if you’re trying to book your flights home for the holidays, don’t wait until Black Friday – our data actually shows that the best time to book for last-minute flights historically happen on or leading up to November 8th. Domestic holiday flights are typically 7% cheaper than average on 11/8** (when compared to 2019) and start to increase as the holiday season approaches.
However, if you’re giving a gift for travel next year and want to figure out which shopping holiday to latch on to – it all depends on where you’re booking. We looked at flight prices the last time things were “normal” (aka in 2019) – and found that Asia and Europe both saw price drops between 7 and 10 percent on Black Friday in 2019 compared to Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday (where prices were only down between 1 and 4 percent). However, for those booking a domestic trip, you’re probably better off skipping the shopping holidays altogether if you’re looking for a deal.**
Tricks of the trade
Where we share stories, tips or hacks that might’ve been missed in your usual content feed.
National Parks are like, really popular.
Record-breaking popular. With the amount of domestic travel that’s been happening for the past year and a half, it’s really no wonder that National Parks around the US are getting a little extra love…but this is next level. According to USA Today, Grand Teton National Park recorded 3.5 million visitors and Yellowstone National Park recorded 4.5 million visitors in the past year alone.
Making your trip a walk in the park.
If seeing some of the country’s natural wonders via National Parks has been on your hit-list, we’d suggest using our Unique Stays filter when searching for a place to rest your head in between your outdoor excursions. From cabins to campgrounds, RVs and more, you’re bound to find a stay that complements your park adventure perfectly. Got your stay covered, but wary of the crowds? No problem – we’d suggest perusing through 3 of our fave National Parks that are great for people who would rather skip the crowds. Popular or not, seeing these natural wonders could be the way to go for your next trip in the states.
Social shoutouts
Special shoutout to @isansjourney for this photo of fall foliage in Colorado.
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*Methodology: For Black Friday, KAYAK considered searches on November 29, 2019 and November 27, 2020. For Cyber Monday, KAYAK considered searches on December, 2, 2019 and November 30, 2020. For Travel Tuesday, KAYAK considered searches on December 3, 2019 and December 1, 2020. To determine whether flights and hotels were cheaper on these days, KAYAK compared them to the average daily searches and the average daily price of flights and hotels 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after those dates.
**To determine November 8, 2021 as travelers’ last chance to book a domestic holiday flight before prices increase, KAYAK considered searches from 9.19.21 – 10.17.21 for travel on 11.19.21-1.7.22. To compare to 2019, we considered searches from 9.22.19-10.20.19 for travel on 11.22.19 – 1.10.20.
**As compared to 2019 average flight prices for domestic flights, using the same comparison and search parameters as above.
