253 million passengers flood nation’s airports between Memorial Day and Labor Day
Airports and airplanes were packed to the max this summer.
“Some of the fares in some markets are the cheapest they have ever been in the history of commercial aviation,” says Jay Ratliff, iHeartMedia aviation expert. That, and the booming economy, led to a banner time for the airline industry. “It was a record summer of travel. We had 246 million-plus people who took to the skies. It was a record,” says Ratliff.
You can look at that as a glass-half-empty or a glass-half-full. A very large number of people got to travel to see family or visit exciting places this summer. And, a very large number of people got crammed into very small seats in very close rows for hours at a time, some with young children kicking the back of their seat.
Ratliff says travelers with foresight are still cashing in on select available savings as they look at the calendar and make plans for the holidays. “At many airlines you can buy your tickets up to eleven and a half months in advance, which means people aren’t just thinking in terms of Thanksgiving and Christmas and into the year. They’re talking spring break and next year’s summer travel.”
Travel plans on your horizon? Check with your favorite carrier today to see if they are still offering low rates.