Brace Yourself: Summer Flyers Are Coming
Joe Cortez May 26, 2017
AAA, A4A project more passengers for Memorial Day and Summer 2017.
The skies are going to get more crowded this summer as airlines brace for what could be the busiest travel season in the last decade. Two major travel organizations predict that the summer travel season will see more people going out on vacation, starting with the Memorial Day weekend.
According to projections released by AAA, over 39 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home the Memorial Day weekend, creating the most travel volume in 12 years. While most of those travelers will drive to their destination, 2.9 million are projected to fly – an increase of 5.5 percent from 2016.
Where are these travelers going? The top destination for travelers is Orlando, Fla., followed by three European destinations: Rome, London and Dublin. Other domestic destinations on the top 10 list include Honolulu, Las Vegas, New York and Seattle.
Although more travelers will be in the skies, they may not necessarily receive a discount on their travel. An AAA analysis suggests that flyers will pay nine percent more on the top 40 domestic routes over the Memorial Day weekend. Hotel prices are also spiking, with the average AAA three-diamond rated hotel costing $215 per night, increasing 18 percent.
The holiday weekend will unofficially kick off what is expected to be the busiest summer travel season in a decade. Airlines for America (A4A) projects between June 1 and August 31, carriers will transport over 234 million flyers, translating to approximately 2.54 million at airports per day. In order to take care of passengers, American carriers alone are expected to add 123,000 seats per day.
In addition, A4A claims that despite multiple high-profile incidents aboard aircraft, airline satisfaction is at an all-time high. Citing data from J.D. Power and the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, passenger satisfaction is an at all-time high, with the most satisfaction coming in booking flights, checking in for a flight and the “courtesy of a flight crew.”
[Photo: Shutterstock]
What does it cost a family of four these days to go to Orlando -- sharing space, long lines, expensive food and beverages, hotel accommodation with every other family in America ?? Wow, how relaxing and different - nothing like following the crowd (or mobs to be precise).