Last summer was all about the “revenge” trip. Just throwing caution to the wind and booking that bucket-list vacation. This year things are looking a little… different. Generally, travel is a bit more expensive than last year – but on the positive side, Americans are also taking way more PTO (the average vacation is longer than it was in 2019). We respect that. In an effort to arm you for your upcoming summer travels, we’ve put together the 8 things you need to know, that’ll help you plan a better trip
1. Tis the season to use your passport.
You know what’s hot right now? International travel. International flight searches are up a whopping 42%, it’s not just flights, both hotel searches (+36%) and car searches (+35%) are up for international destinations, compared to last summer. So hop on the trend.
2. Renting a car is probably the only thing you won’t have to splurge on.
Trips are an investment – and like the price of eggs, they feel a bit pricier this year. But one bright spot is for rental cars: overall, daily rental rates are down 13% compared to last year. So you can expect to pay less for your ride. To compare, flights and hotels have seen a 35% and 5% increase in cost, respectively.
3. You’re gonna pay a bit more, and you’re gonna be ok with it.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use KAYAK to hack your way to a great deal. But if we’re looking just at the data, we don’t see any domestic OR international summer flight destinations that have seen a significant drop in airfare when compared to last summer.* So across the board, expect to pay a bit more. (But it’s worth it, promise.)
4. If you’re traveling for a holiday, travel during the week.
Put in your PTO. The week of Memorial Day is (one of) the cheapest weeks of the summer to travel domestically. Similarly, the week of Labor Day is one of the cheapest to stay in a hotel in the US OR rent a car internationally.* So when everyone is back to the office on Tuesday, use that as your opportunity to be OOO.
5. If you’re here to impress, go to Asia.
That’s where the cool kids are going. Five of the top 10 trending international summer destinations are located in Asia. Additionally, flight searches to Asia are up 56% compared to last summer.* Meaning it’s the new-ish (we talked about this in January) hotspot for travelers staying on-trend.
6. Follow the flock.
Europe and the South Pacific are also trending for summer. Flight searches to these regions are up 55% and 56% respectively compared to last year.* This surge in interest could potentially lead to more routes opening, as well as more opportunities for these destinations to cater to their influx of visitors.
7. This summer, go all-in…clusive.
All-inclusive resorts are having a moment. Travelers have decided life is too short to stock a vacation rental kitchen. Our data shows that our “all-inclusive stays” filter has seen a 31% increase in usage since last year and a *checks notes* 166% increase since 2019.** Meaning more people are opting for an all-you-can-piña colada package than before.
8. Share your car.
Car sharing if the thing you didn’t know your trip needed. What’s “car sharing” you may ask? It’s the concept that you can rent a car from a person vs. a corporation. Kinda like how a certain home renting site works. The thing is, you can search for these options on KAYAK – and since last year we’ve seen a 94% increase in travelers using our car-sharing filter.*** Get in on the trend.
Wherever you’re headed this summer, when it’s time to head off on that PTO our OOO Generator will serve up an away message that fits your vacation vibe. From “per my last email” to “kind regards” we’ll help you let your colleagues know you are not available.
Methodology:
*KAYAK considered round trip, economy flight, standard, double-occupancy hotel searches, and standard, four-door rental car searches between 1/1/2023-3/31/2023 for travel dates 5/26/2023 – 9/5/2023. For YoY comparison, the same search and travel dates were used in 2022. For Yo4Y comparison, the same search and travel dates were used in 2019. Prices are on average and are subject to change. Destinations were removed based on certain search thresholds and travel advisories in place.
** KAYAK considered hotel searches that used the all-inclusive filter for searches between 1/1/2023-3/31/2023 for travel dates 5/26/2023 – 9/5/2023. For YoY comparison, the same search and travel dates were used in 2022. For Yo4Y comparison, the same search and travel dates were used in 2019.
***KAYAK considered rental car searches that used the “car sharing” filter for searches between 1/1/2023-3/31/2023 for travel dates 5/26/2023 – 9/5/2023. For YoY comparison, the same search and travel dates were used in 2022.
