The cost of flying is expected to increase, despite the lower fares for domestic travel currently seen.
International travel has decreased due to tariffs and foreign tensions, according to Peter Greenberg, travel editor for CBS. Those new flight trends will impact consumer pockets.
“If people make the decision to not fly overseas and they’re going to travel within the 48 continental United States, that means the law of supply and demand kicks in,” Greenberg said. “More planes will be full, airfares are gonna go up.”
International to the United States decreased about 14% since March, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
“All those foreign travelers who are not coming to the United States, doesn’t mean they are not traveling,” Greenberg said. “It just means they decided to go somewhere else besides the United States.”
He said the deals offered by airlines for domestic flights are temporary.
“Right now you are seeing a little bit of a buyer’s market,” Greenberg said. “They are doing that as they try to adjust to the changes of incoming traffic overseas.”
Greenberg said lower gas prices may entice more people to drive instead of fly when ticket sales go up again. Cruise ships may also start offering deals in the upcoming weeks, he says.
“The minute they do that adjustment, whether that is changing their schedule or downsizing the aircraft on a number of their routes the airfares are going to go up,” Greenberg said.
He advised if people are still planning to travel to book travel accommodations now.
“Every day that you delay, airfares can go up about 4%,” Greenberg said “So procrastination does have a consequence.”
