As we predicted back in January – this summer is the season of the “revenge” trip. What’s that? It’s when you throw caution to the wind and book that bucket-list vacation. Obligations? Never knew her. But in this season of revenge travel, the travel part has become a bit more expensive than last year (airfare is up 33% compared to last summer). Resiliency must be on the menu though, because higher airfare doesn’t seem to be stopping Canadian travellers. In fact, overall flight searches are up 77%.* We respect that. In an effort to arm you for your upcoming travels, check out our 6 rules to live by for better summer trips.
1. Tis the season to use your passport.
2. Renting a car is probably the only thing you won’t have to splurge on.
Trips are an investment – and like the price of eggs, they feel a bit pricier this year. But one bright spot is for rental cars: overall, daily rental rates are down 13% compared to last year. So you can expect to pay less for your ride. To compare, flights and hotels have seen a 33% and 11% increase in cost, respectively.*
3. Everyone who’s anyone is going to Europe.
Europe has seen a 113% increase in flight interest since last summer making it the top trending region to travel to. And that includes the long weekends. For every long weekend this summer from Victoria Day to Labour Day, Europe is the most-searched region to travel to – even above domestic travel.*
4. If you’re here to impress, go to Asia.
That’s where the cool kids are going. We forecasted it back in January and we’re proud to say it’s still true. Five of the 10 top trending international summer destinations are located in Asia. Additionally, flight searches to Asia have seen a 100% increase since last summer.*
5. Book it like it’s hot.
Generally, the further in advance you can book your flights, the better the chance of finding a low price that suits your wallet.*
6. Going so soon? You really should.
Across flights and rental cars, the earlier in the summer you travel, the better the deal you can expect to find. Prices tend to rise as the summer goes on.*
Bonus tip: wherever you’re headed this summer, when it’s time to head off on that PTO our OOO Generator will serve up an away message that fits your vacation vibe. From “per my last email” to “kind regards”, we’ll help you let your colleagues know you are not available.
Methodology:
*KAYAK CA considered round trip, economy flight, standard, double-occupancy hotel searches, and standard, four-door rental car searches between 1/1/2023-3/31/2023 for travel dates 5/26/2023 – 9/5/2023. For YoY comparison and best time to book data, the same search and travel dates were used in 2022. Prices are on average and are subject to change. Destinations were removed based on certain search thresholds and travel advisories in place.
