Book summer trips now — experts
Travel experts are advising people to book summer trips now and to choose refundable fares because fuel‑price volatility tied to Middle East conflict could disrupt schedules and push prices higher. (eu.usatoday.com)
Travel advisers are telling Americans to lock in summer flights now and pick tickets they can cancel, because fuel costs tied to the Iran war could push fares higher later. (usatoday.com) USA Today reported on April 12 that summer travel in the United States still looks mostly stable for now, but experts said the risk of higher prices grows if the conflict drags on. In an earlier March 6 report, the paper said the best booking window for domestic summer trips was three to seven months ahead. (usatoday.com 1) (usatoday.com 2) The price pressure was already showing up before peak summer buying. Airlines Reporting Corporation said February 2026 domestic round-trip tickets sold through U.S. travel agencies averaged $601, up 3 percent from January and 7 percent from February 2025. (arccorp.com) Government inflation data also showed airfare rising early this year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said airline fares increased in January 2026, part of a 1.4 percent monthly rise in transportation services. (bls.gov) Fuel is one of an airline’s biggest costs after labor, so swings in jet fuel can move ticket prices fast. U.S. Gulf Coast jet fuel reached $4.009 a gallon for the week ending March 27, according to Energy Information Administration data published through the St. Louis Federal Reserve. (alfred.stlouisfed.org) By April 2, CNBC reported, U.S. jet fuel had climbed to $4.88 a gallon from $2.50 on February 27 after the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. The same report said airlines were trimming schedules, adding surcharges, and raising fees or fares. (cnbc.com) Some carriers have already started passing costs to travelers in smaller ways. The Associated Press reported on April 8 that Delta Air Lines joined other U.S. airlines in raising checked-bag fees as fuel costs climbed. (apnews.com) The booking advice is less about panic than about flexibility. If fuel prices ease, travelers with refundable fares can rebook; if they rise or schedules thin out, travelers who booked earlier may have more options left. (usatoday.com)
