LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Many who delayed travel plans because of the COVID-19 pandemic are finally booking their trips, and experts have said that people are willing to spend more to travel despite rising prices.
Scott’s Cheap Flights recently surveyed a portion of its 3 million members, asking what travel would look like for them in 2022. While the pandemic and restrictions were reasons given why not to travel over the past two years, it’s more likely that people might not be able to afford the cost now.
“The number one reason why people say they won’t travel this year, it won’t be because ‘I was afraid of COVID,’ it wouldn’t be because of restrictions, it would be, ‘I just can’t afford it,’” said Willis Orlando with Scott’s Cheap Flights.
The cost of domestic flights is increasing by about 36% due to high demand after two years of the COVID pandemic. Previously, consumers could expect a three month delay between rising fuel prices and ticket fares, but now airlines are changing prices at a much quicker pace.
However, despite this, NerdWallet survey data found 70% of people are planning leisure travel this year.
“The overwhelming majority said ‘I want to get back to Rome, back to Paris, I want to take London off my bucket list,’ we expect there to be a big travel boom into Europe and the big cities once again,” Orlando continued.
Orlando said there are round trips from Las Vegas to Madrid, Spain for $475, and from Las Vegas to Costa Rica for under $300.
Prices are still expected to increase, however.