By K.O. Jackson
It’s not too late to visit Grandma’s house for the holidays.
Just be advised, regardless of your travel method, it may cost you.
From food to lodging to travel, costs have increased.
But according to travel experts, you can still save money and enjoy a visit to family or an exotic location this holiday season.
Linda Daily, travel consultant for Uniworld Sanburn Travel, said although Kokomo has a high unemployment rate and the economy is less than pristine, people want to travel for the holidays.
Airlines have higher rates, but hotels have lowered theirs, said Daily. The combination, however, has meant more people doing holiday pleasure travel.
“There are very good air/hotel packages out there. That’s what we are seeing,” said Daily. “People have been interested in traveling to Mexico and any place warm. Business has really picked up here lately.”
The economy has money tight, making holiday travel more expensive, said travel expert Brian Peters.
That doesn’t mean people can’t afford to get away for the holidays.
Peters is a New York travel blogger keeping travelers informed about the least expensive ways to travel around the world.
He is also the author of the upcoming e-book, “No Debt World Travel: The Ultimate Guide to Traveling Around the World – Even in an Economic Downturn.”
Today is expected to be one of the busiest air-travel days, said Peters, and it’s not too late to get to Grandma’s house on time — with money in your pocket — as long as travelers “plan in advance.”
The other busy air-travel days are this Sunday and Monday.
The Air Transport Association expects to see fewer fliers this Thanksgiving, meaning a 4 percent decline in fliers from last year, and that decline is with airlines offering discounts, Peters said.
But those discounts aren’t what they appear.
From Thanksgiving through Memorial Day, many airlines are imposing $10 to $20 surcharges on passengers. In addition, airlines have increased baggage fees. According to the AAA, two people flying with four checked bags can add up to $80 for their trip.
“Airlines have cut back on flights but seats are going to fill up. It takes a little bit more planning now to get a good seat but it can be done. The first place to check is on the Internet and do not take anything more than a carry-on with you. They are charging for the extra luggage. That’s additional revenue for the airline,” said Peters, adding travelers can save lodging costs by staying at hostels instead of hotels and asking locals where they eat instead of eating at restaurants near tourist attractions.
“The closer you are to your flight date, you are going to pay more. But if you are flexible with your schedule when you leave and return, you can save money. You can save money by flying on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.”
Peters also advises international fliers to pay the additional couple of hundred dollars for travel insurance to protect themselves while out of the country.
“[Insurance] can cost $600, but that’s a lot cheaper than you spending $20,000 and up if you get injured and have to be flown back to the U.S.,” said Peters. “You don’t want to go into debt while you are enjoying your vacation.”
Despite national gasoline prices averaging $2.63 a gallon — up 56 percent from 2007 — after surveying 1,350 households, AAA recently revealed 33.2 million people will use a car to travel during Thanksgiving. That’s a 2.1 percent increase from last year.
“With everything that has gone on with Chrysler and Delphi around here, business has been hit-or-miss. I haven’t had nearly the amount of business I typically have. And the people who are traveling are going by car,” said Catherine Devine, a local AAA travel manager for nine years.
Devine added travel costs haven’t prevented senior citizens from traveling. She said they are still taking exotic trips to destinations like Alaska and Hawaii.
“There are good rates available for people renting cars and the cars have unlimited mileage. That saves wear and tear on their cars,” continued Devine.
• K.O. Jackson is the Kokomo Tribune’s business writer. He can be reached at (765) 854-6739 or via e-mail kirven.jackson@kokomotribune.com
