Happy New Year everyone!
I thought it would be a useful idea to lay out a brief glimpse of the state of international travel right now, focusing particularly on the Summer of 2023. Regular clients of ours know that we have been extremely busy since early in 2022, and that demand has intensified even more in the last few months. We have just decided to no longer accept inquiries for Caribbean Spring Break trips for 2023. Availabilty at many islands is non-existent, and even worse, flight prices have spiralled out of control if you want to fly at the weekend. So for Spring Break both us and you will need to think out of the box!
Now on to summer travel. Below is a Top 5 guide, and I mean a very loose guide, to pricing we are seeing for this coming summer to some of our most popular destinations. Of course every trip we book is different and with us usually customizing everything, total cost will vary significantly.
Top 5 Destinations - It's How Much?
1. Italy (above)
Italy is back to being our #1 booked destination but for June, July and August it is starting to get very expensive. May still offers better value but for the summer you are looking at the following:
Flights
For summer from US cities roundtrip to most Italy destinations economy class fares are between $1,500 and $2,000 per person. Business class is $4,500 to $6,000 per person.
The rest
For Premium level accommodation (4 1/2 star) and tours/activities/transfers we would suggest at least close to a budget of $5,000 per person for a 10-day trip.
*** There is a lot included in this pricing assuming you wish to have a fairly full and active itinerary.
2. UK (above)
As Condé Nast's Top Travel Destination for 2023, the UK is seeing very strong demand indeed. There is the Coronation to come in early May so that is actually the peak pricing timeframe right now but the height of summer is not far behind.
Flights
For summer from US cities roundtrip to London Heathrow in economy class is between $950 (lucky if you're near JFK) and $2,000 per person. Business class is $3,500 to $6,000 per person with a wide difference depending on departure airport..
The rest
For Premium level accommodation (4 1/2 star) and tours/activities/transfers we would suggest at least close to a budget of $4,000 per person for a 10-day trip.
3. Portugal (above)
One of our favorite European countries has actually had fewer inquiries in recent months. As a country that represents better value than most in Europe, we would dearly love to reverse that trend.
Flights
For summer from US cities roundtrip to Lisbon in economy class is between $750 and $1,250 per person. Business class is $3,250 to $4,750 per person.
The rest
For Premium level accommodation (4 1/2 star) and tours/activities/transfers we would suggest at least close to a budget of $3,000 per person for a 10-day trip.
4. Greece (above)
Although the UK is running it close, Greece remains the #2 destination we are booking currently, and much like Italy we are starting to see elevated pricing and availability issues at high end accommodation (especially Santorini). Airfare is actually remaining reasonable in comparison, but the rest is now expensive.
Flights
For summer from US cities roundtrip to Athens in economy class is between $950 and $1,500 per person. Business class is $3,500 to $5,000 per person.
The rest
For Premium level accommodation (4 1/2 star) and tours/activities/transfers we would suggest at least close to a budget of $4,500 per person for a 10-day trip.
5. Thailand (above)
So I can't resist just one more attempt to steer our clients to explore SE Asia. For all the destinations above the pricing is based on excellent 4 1/2 star accommodations and a mix of private or small group tours. For Thailand the price guide below is for 5-star luxury throughout and all private tours. Currently the best value country in the world.
Flights
For summer from US cities roundtrip to Bangkok in economy class is between $1,000 and $1,500 per person. Business class is $3,750 to $5,000 per person.
The rest
For 5-Star luxury throughout and completely private tours/activities/transfers we would suggest at least close to a budget of $2,750 per person for a 10-day trip.
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I love travel and I love travel planning just as much and I am proud to be building a team as passionate about exploring the world as myself. It took me a very long time to align my career with my undeniable passion for exploring, but now I and the team are here for you. Your personal travel tailors - award reservation and luxury custom itinerary experts. We provide a bespoke service, imagining and creating itineraries for independent minded families and groups.
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