Javascript is not enabled.

Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.

Skip to content

What you need to know about vaccines after 50: A guide to routine shots.

Content starts here
CLOSE ×
Search
Popular Searches

Games

Car rental

AARP daily Crossword Puzzle

Hotels with AARP discounts

Life Insurance

AARP Dental Insurance Plans

Travel

Suggested Links
Help Show me my account info Change my Address How do I contact AARP? Where is my membership card? How do I get a digital card?
Red Membership Card

AARP MEMBERSHIP

AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products, hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. 

 

CLOSE ×
Search
Popular Searches

Games

Car rental

AARP daily Crossword Puzzle

Hotels with AARP discounts

Life Insurance

AARP Dental Insurance Plans

Travel

Suggested Links
Help Show me my account info Change my Address How do I contact AARP? Where is my membership card? How do I get a digital card?
Red Membership Card

AARP MEMBERSHIP

AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products, hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. 

 

120x30-AARP-logo-red
Join
Renew
Enroll: Automatic Renewal
Rejoin

AARP en Español

MEMBERS ONLY

2025 destinations

Where to Vacation in 2025

MEMBERS ONLY
a man skiis down a mountain in santa fe new mexico

winter getaways

Budget-Friendly Destinations

The beautiful and unique landscape of coastal Oahu, Hawaii
MEMBERS ONLY

HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

Discover the Top Island to Visit

MEMBERS ONLY
sunrise seen from under mesa arch in canyonlands national park

AARP National Park Guide

Travel to Canyonlands in Utah

Join
Renew
Enroll: Automatic Renewal
Rejoin
Leaving AARP.org Website

You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

Continue Cancel

Plan Your Summer Vacation Now for Surprising Perks

Budget-friendly airfare and affordable rental cars are possible if you act now

rows of beach umbrellas at the ocean as seen from overhead
Eye Em/Getty Images
By

Elaine Glusac,

 
AARP
Published April 07, 2023

For your mental health, it’s never too early to plan a summer vacation. But should memories of the summer of 2022 — with its overcrowded airports, understaffed airlines and flight-grounding weather — deter you from moving forward with 2023 plans?

No. Experts predict a smoother travel experience this summer. But they also recommend you act now, especially if you have your sights set on popular destinations (such as Italy) or specific accommodations (say, an ocean-view room at a Hawaiian resort) or even an affordable rental car. “We are anticipating record-breaking numbers for travel this year that are likely going to exceed pre-pandemic levels,” says Michael Johnson, president of Ensemble, a travel agency association where business has already more than doubled the pace of 2022. 

So when should you book? “The sooner the better,” Johnson says. “Fares and rates are only going to go up, and many travelers are already finding that their preferred dates are sold out or much more expensive than they anticipated as a result of the high demand.”

As travel normalizes in the first largely restriction-free post-COVID summer, here’s what to expect in terms of travel prices, congestion and trending destinations.

Busy airports, cheaper airfares

Nearly four in 10 American leisure travelers say they would travel more if the flight experience were better, according to a recent survey from the U.S. Travel Association, which also found that nearly half of respondents ranked the air travel experience as average or below average.

The federal government announced nearly $1 billion to fund airport improvements in February, but results may be distant. “We aren’t going to see better travel experiences this summer as a result of infrastructure spending,” says Gary Leff, a travel specialist and author of the aviation blog View From the Wing. Leff says the lack of funding for air traffic control technology and the need for more runways are among the issues that will take years to resolve. On the bright side, he adds, both airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should be better staffed than last summer.

Another welcome change: Airfare is expected to peak at around $350 for a domestic round-trip ticket this summer, according to Hayley Berg, the lead economist for the booking platform Hopper. That’s down from around $400 last summer, when jet fuel prices were higher and airline capacity lower. To get the best fares, Berg recommends booking two to three months in advance of a domestic trip — so, April or May for a July trip — and three to five months out for international flights.

Lodging inflation, rental car deflation​

Fuel prices may be down, but inflation and an increase in demand for hotel rooms mean more expensive rates this year compared to last. Data from STR, a global hospitality benchmarking firm, found the average nightly hotel room rate in mid-March was $161 compared to $133 for the same period in 2019, a 22 percent increase since before the pandemic and close to an 11-percent rise compared to last year.

Rental car rates should be a little better than they have been in recent peak summer seasons, says Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail analytics at JD Power. He predicts daily rates around $70, compared to rates starting around $80 at their pandemic height. Before the pandemic, they were roughly $50 to $60 on average. In popular destinations like Orlando, Florida, “if you need a rental car, make sure of its availability before you book airline tickets or your hotel,” he says.

Exploring at home and abroad

The usual suspects are back in fashion this summer. Hopper found the most-searched international destinations for summer are London, Paris, Tokyo and Rome. The domestic list includes New York City, Las Vegas, Orlando and Washington, D.C.

Virtuoso, the consortium of luxury travel advisers, has the United States at the top of its list for trips booked June through August as travelers continue to explore close to home. Italy, France, Canada and the United Kingdom round out the top five. While rates remain strong in major cities, the group recommends looking for value in secondary cities, including San Diego, Sacramento, Seattle and Denver.

Pam Mercer, cofounder of Tuscany Tours, which specializes in small-group tours to Italy, France and Spain, has been turning people away and advising them to get in touch in August for 2024 travel. “It used to be that people would come to us in January or February,” she says. “This year, they came in November, and they’re still coming.”​ ​

Tips for Cheaper Summer Travel:

Fly midweek. The online travel agency Expedia advises avoiding Saturday-through-Monday departures, which are the priciest. Wednesday departures tend to run 15 percent lower for domestic flights and 10 percent lower for international flights.
 

Go where the dollar is strong. The favorable exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and many foreign currencies — including the euro, Canadian dollar and Mexican peso — makes stretching your budget abroad an attractive proposition this year.
 

Stay longer. Many short-term rentals offer discounts for weekly or monthly stays. On the rental platform Vrbo, use the filter “weekly discount” to find them.
 

Rent a car away from the airport. Non-airport rental car locations generally have lower operating costs, which they pass on to renters in the form of lower rates, according to Expedia.

Elaine Glusac is a freelance writer in Chicago who regularly contributes to AARP.org and writes the Frugal Traveler column for The New York Times.

Unlock Access to AARP Members Edition

Join AARP to Continue

Already a Member?

AARP Travel Center

Or Call: 1-800-675-4318

Enter a valid departing date

Enter a valid returning date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid departing date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Enter a valid departing date

Age of children:

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

Flight 2

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 3

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 4

Enter a valid departing date

Flight 5

Enter a valid departing date

+ Add Another Flight

Enter a valid checking in date

Enter a valid checking out date

Occupants of Room 1:

Occupants of Room 2:

Occupants of Room 3:

Occupants of Room 4:

Occupants of Room 5:

Occupants of Room 6:

Occupants of Room 7:

Occupants of Room 8:

Enter a valid departing date

Enter a valid returning date

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 1:

There are children in room 1 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age for room 1

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 2:

There are children in room 2 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 2

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 3:

There are children in room 3 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 3

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 4:

There are children in room 4 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 4

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Occupants of Room 5:

There are children in room 5 without an adult

You didn't specify child's age in room 5

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Age of children:

You didn't specify child's age

Child under 2 must either sit in laps or in seats:

You have more than 6 people total

Please select a trip duration less than 28 days

There must be at least 1 traveler (age 12+) for each infant in a lap

Enter a valid start date

Please select a Pick Up Time from the list

Enter a valid drop off date

Please select Drop Off Time from the list

Select a valid to location

Select a month

Enter a valid from date

Enter a valid to date

Benefits Recommended For You

See All