Book summer now
Travel advisers are urging people to lock in summer trips and choose refundable tickets because the Iran war has pushed oil and travel costs higher. The average U.S. gas price was $4.15 on April 10 (up 39% from $2.98 on Feb. 26), airlines like Cathay Pacific, Air New Zealand, Qantas and United have cut services, Alaska raised checked‑bag fees on April 11, and Etihad is cutting fares up to 50% for parts of May–June. ( )
Summer travelers are being told to book earlier than usual and pay extra for flexibility as oil-driven travel costs rise. (jsonline.com) The national average U.S. gas price hit $4.15 a gallon on April 10, up 39% from $2.98 on February 26, according to the USA Today report republished by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The same report said advisers are steering travelers toward refundable airfares and hotel rates in case prices and schedules shift again. (jsonline.com) Alaska Airlines said on April 9 that checked-bag fees are rising for tickets booked on or after Friday, April 10, 2026, citing “ongoing volatility in fuel prices and an uncertain global environment.” The first checked bag rose by $5 and the second by $10 on North American Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines flights. (news.alaskaair.com) Some carriers are also cutting or suspending service. Bloomberg reported on March 18 that Cathay Pacific extended cancellations of passenger and cargo flights to and from Dubai and Riyadh through April 30 as more airlines pulled back Middle East service. (bloomberg.com) The pressure starts with fuel. CNBC reported on March 24 that traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a major oil shipping route, had effectively stalled during the conflict, pushing up oil, gasoline and airline-ticket costs. (cnbc.com) That is colliding with the busiest booking window for June, July and August trips. CNBC Select said on April 11 that travelers can still cut costs by booking soon, comparing fare calendars and staying flexible on dates and airports. (cnbc.com) Not every fare is moving up. Etihad Airways cut some long-haul prices by as much as 50% for May and June travel, with London-to-Sydney economy round trips starting at £688 and business class at £2,465, according to multiple travel-industry reports published after the airline’s April 5 sale. (travelandleisureasia.com) Analysts told Time on April 9 that even if the cease-fire holds, lower oil and gas prices may take three to six months to filter through the economy. That leaves summer travelers booking into a market where fares, fees and flight schedules can still change quickly. (time.com)
