How To Beat Summer Sticker Shock and Travel the ‘Clark Howard Way’

Trying to make the most of beat summer sticker shock? You are in the right place. Below we break it down in plain English, with practical tips you can actually use.

Key Takeaways

• If you’ve listened to or watched me for a long time, you know that I absolutely love to travel.
• In fact, here is a fun fact for you: My very first business was actually a travel agency chain.
• My entire specialty back then — and still today — was saving people money.

If you’ve listened to or watched me for a long time, you know that I absolutely love to travel. In fact, here is a fun fact for you: My very first business was actually a travel agency chain. My entire specialty back then — and still today — was saving people money.

Lately, I’ve noticed that people are suffering from massive sticker shock due to the run-up in airline costs. The travel industry is going through a bizarre, difficult time right now. Geopolitical tensions and disruptions to the world’s oil supply have caused fuel costs to skyrocket. Just like an independent over-the-road truck driver, an airline’s number one expense is fuel. To compensate, airlines are doing everything they can to push up fares, and the summer prices we are seeing are just stunning — and that’s before you add in all the junk fees.

If you want to travel for fun without destroying your budget, I want you to start traveling my way. Here is a back-to-basics guide on how I book travel and save money, even in a high-priced market.

Rule #1: Let the Deal Dictate the Destination

Historically, most people pick where they want to go, decide when they want to go, and then look for a cost. That is the ultimate enemy of your wallet.

If you want to save money, you have to let the deal dictate where you go. Airfares have absolutely no relationship to the distance traveled; instead, they are based on competition and new routes.

Tip: New airline routes are always your friend. When an airline establishes a new route, nobody knows they fly there yet, so they offer incredible introductory specials.

Every year, I take my staff on a reward trip based entirely on where in the world is on sale. This year, we went to Croatia. Why? Because United Airlines launched a new route from the United States and offered excellent introductory specials. By following the deals, my staff and I have been to every single continent except Antarctica. You can see the whole world eventually — you just may not see it in the order you originally intended.

Rule #2: Use the Calendar as Your Friend

Travel demand operates in strict cycles. While the peak summer season can bring crazy numbers, some relief is always just around the corner if you know when to look.

Sometime around August 15th — about five weeks before the official end of summer — airfares almost always drop a notch. Airlines transition from “peak” pricing into “shoulder” pricing.

There is no longer an official, rigid calendar like there was decades ago when I was in the travel business, but the general trend remains the same. If you can wait until that mid-August window to take your trip, your wallet will thank you.

Rule #3: Master the Pricing Matrix and Be a “Free Agent”

To find the absolute lowest fare, you need to be an opportunist and utilize a pricing matrix. This means being flexible with:

• The airline.
• Your departure day.
• Your return day.

I recommend bringing up a fare calendar, like the one on Google Flights. When you look at a visual calendar, you will see enormous cost differences from one day to the next.

You should also compare one-way fares versus round-trip fares. Frequently, the lowest domestic fare involves flying out on one airline and returning on an entirely different one.

Final Thoughts

If you care about your money, you must be a free agent.

If you say, “I only fly American Airlines, I’m only leaving on Friday the 17th, and I must return nine days later,” you are guaranteeing that you will pay too much. By becoming a prisoner to one specific company, you are just being a very generous person who is helping out that airline’s stockholders.

Look for the bargain travel deals, keep an open mind about where you want to go, and use the calendar to your advantage. You can still see the world without breaking the bank!

The post How To Beat Summer Sticker Shock and Travel the ‘Clark Howard Way’ appeared first on Clark Howard.

Final Thoughts

Before you check out, double-check beat summer sticker shock against current offers and any coupons you can stack. Small habits like this add up to real savings over a year.

Originally published at clark.com.