DENVER — Despite many Americans saying they are anxious about inflation, airlines and travel agencies are anticipating a very busy summer for travel.
Already this year, AAA reports an increase in international travel of 200% over last year. International hotel bookings are up 300%, according to the agency.
At the same time, the increase in demand is driving up airfares, with costs for international flights increasing more than 30%.
“Travelers are making up for lost time and willing to spend more to see the world,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of travel at AAA, said in a press release last month.
Airlines have seen demand for travel take off, and are ramping up operations for a summer surge. Frontier Airlines tells Denver7 it is increasing its departures to international destinations.
“I think in this post-pandemic world, people are really eager to experience new things,” said Tyri Squyres, vice president of marketing for Frontier Airlines. “I think our growth in the Caribbean and Mexico and all those international destinations that we now offer fit with that need perfectly, whether that’s, you know, hanging on a beach or experiencing some culture that you have never experienced before.”
The phenomenon has become so widespread it has garnered the name "revenge travel," referring to the frustration and pent up urge to travel during COVID-19 lockdowns.
“I feel like with COVID, definitely, it was a time where people couldn’t leave,” said high school student Sienna Lichtenfeld, who just returned from a class trip to Morocco. “Now that they have a chance to, it’s exciting to go out and see what’s happening and see how places were affected by it. And just, I don’t know, explore. I mean, traveling is just really cool.”
“And I think with a lot of social media growth, kind of showing certain areas you can travel to, a lot of people have wanted to travel a lot more and go around to other places,” added classmate Isabella Bila.
For those wanting to cut costs while traveling, AAA recommends flying on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when cheaper flights are offered. For those with flexible travel plans, the agency recommends international travel during the off-seasons months such as October or February.
