Summer unofficially started during Memorial Day weekend. The Transportation Security Administration broke a record for the most travelers screened on a single day last Friday. The crowds are only expected to grow over the next few months. KCRW gets the best 2024 travel hacks from Natalie Compton, travel reporter for the Washington Post.
Fly early
Hundreds of flight delays and cancellations happened over the recent holiday weekend, partly due to severe weather. Compton says they’re just a preview of what to expect this summer, especially with a above-normal hurricane season coming. She says a great rule of thumb is to book a morning flight, so if a flight is delayed, you’re at the front of the snowball.
“There are still many more flight options for you to take, versus flying out at the end of the day, [and] everything is snarled — you are at the back of the line for getting your travel plans fixed,” she explains.
If possible, also make sure the flight has the least amount of connections.
Where are the crowds?
Shoulder season — the time between peak and off-peak travel periods — is over, especially in countries like Italy, Compton says. Other popular destinations right now are the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Japan. Domestically, travelers are flocking to New York, Chicago, Nashville, Miami, and Orlando — plus national parks in particular.
Track flight deals (and get alerts!)
Despite rising airfares, Compton says deals are happening daily to popular destinations, and airlines are increasing their flights (not all are fully booked). Use tools like Google Flights to set price tracking alerts based on locations or travel windows.
Go off the beaten path
Compton is seeing great flight deals for Guatemala, Colombia, Argentina, and other spots in Central and South America.
“With whatever dates you're looking at, you're going to want to check on hurricane schedules … for any place in the Caribbean. But not everybody has the same timeline. So there are plenty of places that you could go that won't be as crowded as others. The Caribbean is often so popular during the winter that some of the places are quieter in the summer, so happy travels.”
Packing hacks to consider
To avoid baggage fees, consider wearing cargo pants and vests, which allow you to stuff toiletries and other small items into the extra pockets. “Airlines can't tell you, ‘Take your pants off.’ So you're golden,” Compton says.
Compression bags are also popular. “Very simple technology — you put all your stuff in a big bag, you roll it up, it takes out a ton of the air that you are wasting [in] … your carry-on bag. And they're super cheap,” she explains.
Some travelers have taken to a new suitcase alternative: pillowcases. Compton says some individuals are stuffing them with shirts and other possessions. That’s because the TSA considers a pillow a personal item rather than extra luggage.
“We really haven't seen too many airlines cracking down on this. Obviously they would rather you not … do that because they don't want to get into a situation where they're saying you're abusing their goodwill, and ‘now we're going to charge for pillows.’ But for the most part, people are getting away with this. It’s another way that you can shove some more stuff into a place and not pay.”