May 12, 2022 鈥 3 min read
Mallorca on the Balearic Islands is anticipating visitors this summer. 漏Boris Stroujko/Shutterstock
Once it makes sense for all of us to start traveling again, it鈥檚 going to be like we鈥檝e never seen it before. But will it be more expensive than it used to be?
Let me level with you: there鈥檚 no one answer to this question, and it will depend on where you鈥檙e flying from, where you鈥檙e flying to, when you鈥檙e flying, what kind of destination it is, the extent to which it鈥檚 鈥渙pen鈥 to travelers and any national restrictions either at your end or the destination鈥檚 end.
Let鈥檚 work through those issues one by one.
Editor's note: during COVID-19 there are restrictions on travel and opening hours may vary. Check the latest guidance before planning a trip, and always follow local health advice.
Should I book with a low-cost airline for a summer break?
As a general rule, if you鈥檙e looking for a couple of chilled out weeks in the sun somewhere that鈥檚 a relatively normal place for folks to travel to from where you live, that鈥檚 likely to be pretty possible and pretty reasonably priced.
This might be the time for northern Europeans to book two weeks to explore the temperate rainforests in the central mountains of Gran Canaria, say, rather than aiming anywhere much more long-haul or off-the-beaten-track. Holiday and low-cost airlines are already taking bookings and the usual holiday destinations have the infrastructure to be able to support early opening 鈥 and incoming travelers.
In terms of timing, there鈥檚 always a price spike around the school holidays, and that鈥檚 likely to be the case this year as well. Also, expect a spike immediately after any relaxation of restrictions from your home government.
Think too about how open your destination is to leisure travelers as well. As a rule, travel domestically or within neighboring countries is likely to open up first, with other travel following later. That will also create a spike as folks who鈥檝e been banned from visiting friends and family make a much-needed visit.
Travel to countries that remain closed 鈥 like Australia and New Zealand, for example 鈥 is likely to be on a repatriation or exceptionally urgent travel only basis, with mandatory managed isolation quarantines, and overall numbers are likely to remain capped for some time. Oh, and if you鈥檙e concerned about price, those managed isolation quarantines are at your own expense, so perhaps strike them off your list.
Finding cheap flights for summer 2021
If you鈥檙e as keen to travel as we all are, you鈥檒l want to make sure that it鈥檚 reasonable and safe for you to travel, and that you鈥檙e following guidance from public health authorities both at home and abroad to not put yourself, anyone at your destination, or anyone en route at risk.
Also, remember it鈥檚 not just the cost of the flight: it鈥檚 the cost of having your money potentially tied up for months or refunded in airline vouchers if it鈥檚 canceled, which could possibly stop you from booking a replacement trip 鈥 which could itself be more expensive.
Once you鈥檝e made a 鈥済o鈥 decision, take a look at some of the 鈥渨here can I go from my home airport鈥 websites, like Google Flights, and see what routes are available on the days or even months you鈥檇 like to travel. Do prices look reasonable for your budget?
See if you can travel against the grain. If you鈥檙e constrained by dates and times, as many folks with school-age kids are, you may need to be smart about where you鈥檇 like to travel to. It may even make sense to do a family road trip or rail trip rather than taking to the air for the next few months.
If you can travel before or after the school holiday periods, or even midweek-to-midweek, that鈥檚 likely to be a much better deal. Similarly, if you can avoid having to book for immediately after lockdown lifts, you鈥檒l avoid that price spike.
Overall, though, my top tip for the next six to nine months: sit tight for now, wait and see where you, your home country and your proposed destinations are in terms of vaccines and COVID-19 levels, and once it鈥檚 safe and sensible for you to travel, be flexible around what last-minute deals are available.
John Walton is an aviation journalist who writes regularly for 香港六合彩即时开奖 and a variety of aviation publications. He welcomes questions and discussions on Twitter, where he鈥檚 !
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