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With the economy in dire straits and nearly all of us worried about keeping our jobs, the chances that any of us will be traveling this year are slim. However, according to the Wall Street Journal, airlines are reducing their prices with the hope of filling seats. Will this be enough to get Americans flying? This really depends on the trip. Will the customer be flying alone or with family? Will the customer be staying at a hotel or with friends? What is the purpose of the trip? If you are planning a trip for your family that could mean 3-5 plane tickets. Alternatively, if you’re planning a getaway to meet up with girlfriends at a nice hotel the cost of a plane ticket may be one of your smaller expenditures.
Personally, airfare is not a huge factor in my decsions around traveling unless fares are ridiculously inflated, as they have been in the past. This year I turn 30, and I would love to travel somewhere fun to celebrate. This will probably not happen, however, given my budget and the fact that my employer is requiring two weeks off (one in July, one in December) that will eat into a large portion of my vacation time. I am considering flying out to the east coast during my week off in July to visit friends, but I am reluctant because 1) it’s busy in the summer and 2) it’s HOT in the summer.
David has around 140,000 miles with American Airlines, but we’re holding off on using those as his parents are planning a 3-month stay in Italy next year and we’d like to join them for as long as possible.
2009 might just be a year spent close to home.
How about you? Are you (and your family, if applicable) planning any trips this year? Any trips that are unavoidable? How much does airfare factor into your trip-planning?
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
I want to go somewhere. I haven’t had a true travel vacation since I was 16. The only trips I really have been doing are for my digs which is fun but not really vacation. Although I am on an island when I go.
Anyways there probably won’t be any vacation for me. My grandfather and I are talking about going to Madagascar to work with a biology team to track and record fossas. That should be fun if it happens (the trip is not cheap)
I feel squeezed on the travel front from both ends — on one hand I don’t want to spend the cash, and on the other I want to keep my job and am kind of afraid to take any time off. We skipped a honeymoon because of work and financial pressures and have really only traveled to see family for the past three years. A vacation seems so indulgent that I can’t even decide on one. I think I’m going to have a little break in freelance jobs in the fall and want to take a nice long month in South America maybe. Cheap airfare definitely makes a difference to me! I almost always stay with friends or b/b or camp it if I don’t know anyone where I am going.
My partner lives in Chicago and I live in TX, so cheap airfare has been so great for us right now. We end up visiting each other every couple of months, which i know we couldn’t have done if prices were like they were even last summer with inflated gas prices.
That sounds brilliant! There are TONS of great hotel deals in SF, as there are mountains of boutique hotels.
Melissa, why don’t you two take the train to Portland for a few days?
Speaking of, Kim, we should hit the wine country soon and get drunk.
Yes! In April, my husband and I are doing a trip to Yosemite, San Francisco, and Big Sur. I used miles to pay for the plane tickets and did lots of research to find nice places to stay for a bargain. (There are some great deals out there now, especially on weekdays.) This our first vacation since our honeymoon almost two years ago, so we’re pretty fired up. Airfare costs are a huge factor in deciding where to go, so far-away trips – unfortunately – very rarely happen.
My boyfriend and I are going to Seattle in September. We’re going for a week. Is there really that much to do in Seattle that we need to go for an entire week? Sorry…I wanted to go on a cruise.
*sigh* I wish.
My hub and I will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary this September. We’ve been together for 9 years, and the only place we’ve ever flown together is Denver to visit his family. We stayed local for our honeymoon, and haven’t really had many vacations since. I was hoping we could really do something big this year, like a cruise or exotic destination, but since he’s been out of work for over a year, I don’t really see that happening.
Lucky for us, we live in a great state that IS a vacation destination, so road trips are much more likely…
We have not been on a proper vacation in years (Scranton, PA, the Electric City, is as far as we’ve traveled). But in May we’re going to the Dominican Republic for one week because our friends are getting married there. Yay! The airfare was not too too bad. Boyf paid for both of us and I’m paying for lodging.
I actually just got back from a trip to Colorado. Cost wasn’t as much of an issue for us, as we joined a wholesale travel club last year. The plane tickets weren’t too bad, and we got a super nice condo for a week for $900 which we shared with 3 other couples. Even got a free ski pass for sitting through a timeshare presentation.
I WAS irritated with the service I received on US Airways and probably won’t be flying with them again, if I can avoid it. Because of their ridiculous fees for bags, everyone carried on. There was no room for carry ons in the bins (I assume the belly of the plane was basically empty), so I had to sit with my duffel at my feet, taking up all my floor space. My first flight was late in a million different ways, and I barely made my connection, so I didn’t have time to get food. They served NO FREE SNACK on the plane, and cokes were $2. By the time I reached Denver, I was starving and raided a vending machine and scarfed down chips Cookie Monster style. On March 1, they went back to complimentary drinks, but there are still no pretzels or peanuts. Also, on my return trip, they tried to make everyone in zones 5, 6, and 7 gate check their bags, as everyone was carrying-on again and there was little room in the bin. I refused, and actually did find room in the bin. These fees and things are ridiculous.
i just returned from london- airfare was DIRT CHEAP- like less than 500$ round trip from nyc. i tagged along with some friends to follow OTHER friends that are in a band to be a roadie/groupie. we stayed in a cheap b&b near paddington with a free full english breakfast. we ate at pubs for incredibly cheap and drank lots for cheaper (man beer is cheap in london) and got into places for free because we were “with the band”. (god it sounds cool to say that). so all in all, it was equal to a week in nyc where i went out to dinner and for drinks several times in one week- in other words, it wasn’t terribly expensive or more than i was used to spending.
also it was my first vacation in 5 years! and probably the last for at least one.
I was lucky enough to spend two weeks in Israel mostly for free during winter break- Birthright, with perfect timing. This summer there will be less trips than the previous summer (or winter, I think) because of the Madoff stuff, because so many major donors were involved in that. So that was my awesome vacation recently.
But the airfare thing might work out amazingly, if not for me than for my parents. My former babysitter, who is a very close family friend, is getting married at the end of May (on my parent’s wedding anniversary!) in London. If the airfare is cheap, my parents might be able to go, and maybe even my brother and me. My mother hasn’t been to London since she did a study abroad semester there thirty years ago, and it would be so good for her if she and Dad could go, just for a few days…
My vacation is a trip out to Cali for a friend’s wedding in June, and that’s probably it. These trans-continental wedding trips are destroying any and all leisure-travel funds. But it will likely be a lovely wedding, and who can complain about visiting CA in June.
@riotgrrl: There used to be an awesome veggie restaurant in the Savoy Hotel called Millenium? No idea if this place still exists (it’s been years) I ate there many moons ago (with Penny actually) and it was super. Grilled veggies, yummy apps, good cocktails, etc. And most restaurants in SF have good veggie options in general. IF you are there over the weekend, definitely check out the farmer’s market at the Ferry building which has lots of stalls from area restaurants in addition to loads of organic produce. God, I miss SF. I have been craving a Rex Cafe bloody mary for ages!
@penny: It may be hot and humid in the summer out east, but we have lovely picturesque beaches and strong sailing winds (and access to very nice boats for sun-bathing and sipping wine on the hahbah).
Next week I’m going to SF for 4 days but I’m not flying. I live in Reno so it’s not too far. Do you have any restaurant suggestions that aren’t too expensive? I’m also a vegetarian so veggie friendly is a must. I’m pretty excited because my trips to SF have mostly been to see shows and I haven’t explored the city too much.
At the end of 2009, early 2010 me and my husband are tentatively planning a bigger trip out of the country. Right now we don’t know where we want to go. We’re thinking Peru or maybe the Caribbean. Airfare does dictate to a certain extent where and if we travel. And I know the next statement sounds selfish but it bothers me a little. We normally have to spend our vacation time visiting our inlaws during xmas time. My husband has very limited leave so we have to be careful on how we spend our time. The reason why we don’t travel more is because we fly to the east coast most xmases. His parent don’t fly so they “have” to drive out if they are to visit us which takes forever (North Carolina to Nevada) and is very costly so we normally have to visit them. And they really push for xmas because it’s a big holiday for them. I don’t like to make a big deal about the holidays and I would much rather visit them in the summer when there are things for us to do. I wouldn’t mind coming out every year if it were in the summer because they have nice beaches close by so it would be more vacationy.
I second Millenium. David and I went again last year and it was totally delicious. It’s actually a vegan restaurant.
Oh, this entry kills me, because I have been moping about this very issue all week!
I am also turning 30 later this year and had planned a Euro trip with friends — but it is really not feasible now. For the past three years I’ve dedicated part of my tax refund to taking a trip abroad, but this year I really can’t afford the time or money. I’ll do a little friend visiting domestically when fares are low, but that’s about it. Hasn’t stopped me from looking up international fares all.the.time, though…
AE – Yeah, same. I lived in London for a few months in 2002 and I’ve been dying to get back. You’re so lucky, though, I LOVE Scotland and Edinburgh is one of my favorite cities!
Bah!
I haven’t gone anywhere but home and a couple road trips in over two years, since I got back from London. Every single time I see footage of London on screen I just burn with the desire to get back there. And I can’t, because I have to save up for a friends’ wedding in 2010 in Edinburgh! Also, I have to save up for everyday life, which is difficult, as beer only tastes good off draught.
aspiringexpatriate- I have that same desire to go back to London. I visited when I was 16 and it eats at me every time I see or hear something about London.
In recent years I’ve been far less concerned with airfare and hotel prices than simply the overall currency exchange rates.
The UK/EU are laughing at the US dollar last I checked.
I absolutely advocate taking jaunts on Amtrak, particularly for intra-state travel where they’re more likely to have (cheaper) commuter lines. Most of the trains I’ve been on have been very clean, and I believe they even have Wi-Fi these days. Plus it’s nice to slow down, and read, sleep, or just gaze pensively out the window while someone else does all the driving.
Yes, I love the train idea. My boss and I have been tossing around the idea of commuting on the train (we have about an hour commute each way) but it’s really hard in our area. I love trains!
Also, a few years ago I took a bus from Maine to Boston and I LOVED it. It was so fun driving through New England and staring out the window at everything. And I usually hate buses….
Drew, that’s a great idea! I want to go to NYC, Washington DC and North Carolina this summer and taking a train just might make it financially feasible. I should look into bus lines while I’m at it too.
Not to turn this into a train conversation, but for those in the Northern Bay Area (and beyond — I believe this information is relevant as far up as Auburn or even Reno) rest assured that Amtrak has lines stopping right off in Berkeley @ 4th street, which is a nice little shopping area in and of itself.
I mean it drops you off RIGHT there.
But more interesting is the BART station which is up a few blocks –then SF/Oakland/etc. become accessible.
On one hand it does involve walking, sometimes a good deal. But on the other hand, at the end of the day, you never turned on your car and maybe even managed to burn off some of your lunch.
Hell, make it a weekend and go to Santa Cruz.
PS: The “official” Amtrak/BART link station is Richmond –not exactly a warm and/or friendly place to hang out…hence walking a few blocks from 4th St. in Berkeley in lieu.
PPS: There are different ticket prices for “regular” Amtrak vs. Capitol Corridor Express. They have different phone numbers, web sites, restrictions, etc. so do some research.