With the passage of Thanksgiving and the peak of holiday travel season on the horizon, trip costs are among the priorities of those looking to get away.
Nicholls students travelling home or going on a trip have experienced various prices for travelling during the holidays, which have affected their plans.
Rachel Mundell, culinary sophomore from Springfield, Virginia, said her parents bought her a plane ticket to go home for Thanksgiving early in September. The ticket was priced at $520 round trip, and the plane departed the week before Thanksgiving.
“The airport was not as busy as if I would have traveled later in the week,” Mundell said.
Other students faced difficulty with travel plans and could not plan trips because the cost was too high.
“I couldn’t go home for Thanksgiving because tickets are so expensive and not worth it since winter break is so close,” Donna Pierce, physical education sophomore from Anchorage, Alaska, said.
On Nov. 22, AAA Motor Club projected that 43 million Americans would hit the roads for Thanksgiving travels, one of the most travel-heavy times of the year.
According to Nationwide, 91 percent of traveling for Thanksgiving is done by car, making gas prices a crucial element in most travel plans.
As stated by AAA Motor Club, “Last week’s regular gas prices averaged $3.41 nationally, the lowest average since a month ago.”
As for the other 9 percent that traveled by plane, an average cost has not been appointed.
“The price of a plane ticket is based on several factors including: labor, fuel, owners of the plane, miscellaneous fees including marketing, food and others, interest, other expenses, taxes, and roughly a 6.5 percent profit,” according to CNN Money.
An adjustment is made for fuel expenses, depending on the price, which in turn affects the airline’s profit.
According to the International Air Transport Association, “As of Nov. 16 jet fuel prices were only up 0.3 percent since Nov. 9, which is smaller than the 1.2% Nov. 9 had from the week before.”
The departure date for plane tickets plays a huge role with how much the ticket costs. For example, purchasing a ticket from Delta Airlines leaving from New Orleans to New York City has different prices depending on the day the traveler leaves. If they leave on Christmas Eve and come back on Jan. 2 the price averages $430 round trip, whereas if they leave a week early on Dec. 21, the price increases by $100 for a round-trip ticket.
USA Today College offers tips for students traveling on a budget with the approach of the major holiday season:
Research Prices
USA Today College suggests that students should research the prices of flights and packages before they purchase. Some sites to use are Studentuniverse.com or Kayak.com because it offers a comparison of prices in one place.
Packing
With airlines charging bagging fees, USA Today College suggests that students should pack the necessities. Packing clothes for the just-in-case situations can cost students more in the end. Research the weather and pack clothes that you can mix and match that are right for the weather.
Travel on good days
Sites like Priceline.com offer a calendar that is color-coded to suggest to the traveler what days are the best to travel. For example, over the Christmas holidays the best day to travel is Christmas Day, and good days to travel are Dec. 19 and Christmas Eve.
Use frequent flyer miles
Another budget saver could be the use of frequent flyer miles. Having a parent that travels frequently can cut the student’s cost of a ticket.
Traveling for holiday vacation can add up after hotels, flights, gas and food, but with preparation the cost can go down.
