“Travel is in full swing, and bookings are incredibly strong, so it pays to plan ahead.”
That’s Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson for AAA the Auto Club Group. She says planning ahead is key especially with the drastic uptick in the number of travelers.
“International travel is up more than 200% compared to 2022. Hotel bookings are seeing the biggest jump, up more than 300% over last year. The spike in demand is driving up airfares. Ticket prices for international trips are up more than 30%.”
Europe and Canada are the most popular international destinations per AAA’s data, with London topping the list. Woodland says if you’re planning to visit one of these or other destinations you should make sure everything is in order, such as your passport.
“You can’t travel internationally without a passport. If you don’t have one, apply ASAP! The U.S. Department of State issues passports, and routine service normally takes 8 to 11 weeks. But pandemic-related application backlogs coupled with a surge in travel demand are leading to longer wait times, anywhere from 10 to 13 weeks. Even some expedited services are seeing delays of about 7 to 9 weeks.”
In addition, Woodland says you may want to download the state Department’s Smart Traveler app for detailed information regarding countries around the world and up to date travel advisories. She advises enrolling in STEP [smart traveler enrollment program] to notify the state department about your trip and to receive any needed advisories. More info can be found at aaa.com
