Travelers are facing higher prices and crowds this summer. The best way to avoid them is to be flexible. From planning your trip to the tools you need to get to your destination, here are ways to be flexible during the busiest travel season of the year.
Life is full of compromises, but that's especially true while traveling this summer.
Flights will be full. Just before Memorial Day, the Transportation Security Administration set a new record for the number of air travelers screened, screening nearly 3 million passengers on May 24, surpassing last year's Thanksgiving record. U.S. airlines are expecting a record summer, forecasting 271 million passengers in June, July and August, a 6% increase over last summer.
Roads will be congested: GasBuddy's latest summer travel survey predicts that 76% of Americans are planning a road trip between Memorial Day and Labor Day, up 18% from last summer.
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Hotels are also filling up: Average hotel occupancy is on track to rise to 63.4%, the highest level since 2019, according to consulting firm HVS.
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The only way to avoid high prices and crowds is to be flexible.
“Peak-season prices, crowds and flight delays mean you should write your itinerary with pencil, not pen,” says Bill Smith, CEO of flexible rental service The Landing Inc. “Flexibility will help you maximize your adventures this summer while minimizing travel costs.”
From planning your trip to the tools to get you there, there are ways to be flexible during the busiest travel season of the year. Becoming a more flexible traveler also means thinking about travel a little differently—be flexible, but don't compromise.
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How to be more flexible this summer
So how can you become more flexible? Here are some examples:
Fly to another city. Sometimes the place you're planning to visit is just too popular — and expensive. That's exactly what happened when Phil Strazzulla tried to visit Milan last summer. The plane ticket cost more than $1,000. But he could fly to Zurich, Switzerland, for less. So he did. “Not only did I save more than $300 per ticket, but the drive over the mountains was spectacular,” recalls Strazzulla, who runs a software review company. “Travel flexibility translates into cost savings and unique experiences.” Go off the beaten path. Being truly flexible means stepping out of your comfort zone a little. “Instead of Rome, Italy, go to the Puglia region,” says Lynna Goldsby, a cruise planner at Travel With Lynna. “Instead of London, try Normandy or Bath.” Trying these alternative destinations not only satisfies your travel urge, but also cuts costs on lodging, restaurants, tours and transportation, she says. Take a detour. Flying through an airline hub often results in cheaper airfares. “Don't waste that opportunity,” says Linda Robert, a travel coach at Back in the Groove Again. Airlines like Icelandair, Qatar Airways and Copa offer stopover programs that allow you to enjoy a day or two at their hub before continuing on to your holiday destination, often at no extra cost. “This strategy can enrich your travel experience and allow you to see more places in a cost-effective way,” she says. 
Here are some handy flexibility tools
There are new ways to be flexible.
For example, Landing, a popular choice for digital nomads and location-independent workers, introduced a new tool this week: its 12-month Flex Stay program, offering renters the opportunity to save up to 30% on monthly rates by committing to living with Landing, which has locations in more than 375 cities, for a year.
“This new service gives members the freedom to move around our nationwide network of furnished apartments as much or as little as they like throughout the year,” Smith said.
Another new feature from Airbnb is flexible date search, which allows you to choose a time period instead of a specific date to see more options. Airbnb introduced this feature during the pandemic, and it can help you save up to 20% on vacation rental accommodations.
One tool I always love, available on almost every trusted online travel site, is the ability to search airfares and hotel rates based on a more flexible schedule. Google Flights and Kayak are great for showing more flexible options. Pro tip: Don't limit your flexibility to dates. Select the area you want to travel to. This may include alternate airports.
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Mahmood Khan, a professor of hospitality and tourism at Virginia Tech, says hotels can also be flexible when it comes to pricing, offering roughly 20% off if you pay in advance (though discounted rates are often nonrefundable, so you'll want to be sure to book).
“Sometimes, getting away from crowded destinations and choosing a comfortable hotel for your commute can help you find an economical deal,” he added.
But how do you put it all together this summer, including a flexible itinerary and gear? Interesting question, right?
What are some other ways to increase travel flexibility?
There are also new strategies for increasing travel flexibility that can save you money and major headaches while traveling.
“Knowing how and when to add flexibility to your itinerary is an important skill,” says Stephanie Chastain, owner of boutique travel consultancy Infinite Ireland Travel. “Having a schedule that's too strict can leave travellers vulnerable to running into trouble on the road, which can ruin all their good planning.”
What is white space? It's literally a blank page on your itinerary. An empty afternoon with free time. A leisurely breakfast instead of waking up at the crack of dawn for an all-day tour. A rest day every few days to prevent vacation fatigue and give your schedule some breathing room.
Even the experts continue to relearn the importance of flexibility. For example, I recently had to fly from Anguilla to Miami at the last minute, and the flight was prohibitively expensive at about $800 one way. As I was preparing to book, I realized that Anguilla was just a short ferry ride away from St. Maarten and had frequent flights.
Total savings: $200.
Being flexible means thinking differently about travel. It's the belief that there are many ways to get to your destination, and that it's not the end of the world if you can't get there on the day your holiday starts. Travel companies love to screw you over by making you have to be in a certain place at a certain time. Be contrarian, but not too much.
Bend it so it doesn't break
The best travel advice for those who want to be flexible comes from veteran travel advisor Susan Shellen, owner of the travel agency Couture Trips, who tells us that lowering your expectations is one of the best ways to stay flexible.
“Life isn't perfect,” she said, “and there are bound to be unexpected and unpredictable events that occur on your journey.”
Another thing is, being too formal can make for a terrible trip. I've made that mistake before and trust me, it's not fun.
Too much can be bad, so make sure you book your flights on a weekday to avoid higher fares. Try booking your flight using Google Flights or Kayak's flexible fare feature, or check out Landing's new Flex program.
But if you compromise too much, it's not a vacation at all – you end up in a motel in the middle of nowhere, far from the tourist spots, and missing out on all the fun.
Even if it bends, it won't break.
Christopher Elliott is an author, consumer advocate and journalist. He founded the nonprofit Elliott Advocacy to help solve consumer issues. He publishes the travel newsletter Elliott Confidential and the customer service news site Elliott Report. If you need help with a consumer issue, contact him here or email him at chris@elliott.org.
