Top Stories

Tips, tricks, creativity needed when booking upcoming vacation with record gas prices

PITTSBURGH — It’s the climb that just doesn’t seem to slow.

“The alternative is walking and I’m not going to walk, so I’m going to fill up my car and live my life,” said Ethan Cieply, from Belle Vernon.

Cieply told Channel 11 he will face those high gas prices daily but is getting creative when it comes to future vacations.

“We actually have a trip to Florida coming up, and (as) a way to combat the price of gas, we are going to drive with my parents and split everything,” Cieply said.

Preplanning is the best strategy according to local travel agents. As more people start to book trips, the demand for gas will continue to rise as the supply declines from the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

“People should be OK in the short haul ... but already I’m seeing higher air fares for summer travel,” said Mollie Fitzgerald, with Frontiers International Travel.

Fitzgerald said if you book now, you will lock in the current prices before we see additional increases. Unfortunately, she said with the constant changes in fuel prices, it’s hard to put an exact number on how much flights will be going up.

“Everyone wants a flexible air ticket — something that is refundable. Something we all learned is it’s scary committing to a nonrefundable anything,” Fitzgerald said.

She advises people to pay that extra fee when it comes to booking to get the refundable option so you do lock in your price but can also get out of it if something changes down the line.