summer travel posts

Airfares have been remarkably cheap of late, but let's not live in a fool's paradise. Summer is afoot, and prices will inevitably go higher than they are now.

STA Travel, a big travel agency chain specializing in student and discount travel, is warning travelers that if there's somewhere they want to go cheaply, they'd better do it now, because prices are going up starting June 1. The current deals aren't sticking around, so to nab a trip at the low prices, you'd better go and come back by the last day of May.

Bet you didn't see this coming. We all wondered what new fees the major airlines were going to institute next. Ryanair's gambit to have us pay to pee didn't go over too well, cutting off that avenue for now. So what do they do? Simply hike the fees they already charge. And do it right as summer travel clicks into high gear.

U.S. Airways, the most disrespectful airline in America, has announced its latest money grab: As of July 9, its baggage fee is going up $5. For each bag. For each flight. The new cost will be $20 for one bag and $30 for the second bag. Bring two bags on a round trip and you'll now be paying $100 above the cost of your ticket. (Bringing just one bag? That'll be $40 for the round trip, provided you only take two fights. Bringing three bags? Don't ask. That third alone will be $100 per flight.)

We have already covered the frugal vacationer's plight this summer, as many families will embark on staycations.

Our own Tracy Coenen has shared some great ideas for planning your staycation. Despite the fact that you can make the best of a staycation to explore your hometown, John Hodgman explains what it means to go on a staycation or as he calls it a "holistay." You may know John better for his character "PC," in the Apple ads currently in heavy rotation on TV.

This clip is wonderfully hilarious and brings up an interesting point about positive spin that media in general is giving to the staycation. I suppose the staycation could be a sign that people aren't financing their travel on credit cards.

Me? I'll call a staycation what it is, a bummer! You can watch the embedded clip and surf the web all day during your staycation, but how would that differ from work? Actually, I take it back: Staycations are awesome, especially when you consider that next year due to a failing economy you'll be taking a workcation. You heard it here first.

If you've decided to stay home this holiday weekend, you are not alone. Don't feel bad that you're not planning your annual Memorial Day getaway to the beach. Many people, a majority as a matter of fact, have decided that driving several hours to a weekend getaway is not in the best interest of their wallet.

As a traffic reporter by day, I witnessed a crazy phenomenon this past Friday-before-Memorial-Day. Afternoon rush hour, with no, rush. I couldn't believe it. In my four years in traffic, never have I seen major roadways that lead to shore destinations, so empty. Especially on a weekend where nothing but sunny skies were forecast. I continued through the rush hour watching as traffic patterns in the area thinned out even more, all the while shaking my head in disbelief and saying, "Where the heck is everyone?" By 6pm, when traffic cameras facing shore bound tolls were usually jam packed with sparkly red rear lights, all I saw were motorists pausing briefly to coast through the fast pass lanes. I thought I may have jumped the gun when I turned to my co-workers and said, "Oh man, this has got to be 'cause of the gas prices." But I wasn't wrong.

I looked up at the monitors to see that one of the news stations was reporting exactly my theory. Apparently, 60% of polled Americans report they will be opting to stay closer to home instead of driving to holiday destinations. That's 360,000 less travelers all choosing backyards over beaches.

With gas prices up sixty seven cents from last year, airfare up 8%, hotels up 9%, and rental car rates up a whopping 45%, more people this year are inclined to stay in town rather than venture out onto America's roadways.

And with supermarket prices for cookout supplies getting more expensive at the same time, filling our stomachs looks a lot better than filling our gas tanks.