Why you should book your summer flights ASAP
Airlines are adding more flights from Seattle, Portland and Everett on larger planes in anticipation of the summer travel rush.
The arrival of warmer weather signals unofficially the beginning of the Pacific Northwest travel seasons. This year, the airports will be busier than usual.
Cirium data show that airlines have added 6% more flights to Seattle, Portland, and Everett between May and July compared to last year, as leisure demand continues to surge. Cirium data shows that airlines have added larger planes into their fleets in order to provide 12% more seats for summer travel.
Helane Becker is a senior analyst at TD Cowen and said that this will not be enough to meet the demand.
Becker, in an email sent to the Business Journal, said that the high ticket prices will continue to be maintained in the months to come due to the combination of strong demand and Federal Aviation Administration staffing issues, which have led to capacity reductions.
This is in addition to the delivery setbacks by Boeing, which cast a gloomy outlook on airlines' capacity growth targets.
Becker stated that fares are rising and will continue to rise. Book summer travel ASAP.
She said that California, Alaska, and Hawaii remain the top destinations. Airlines are also planning traffic to New York, Washington D.C., and Boston. Cirium data shows that Denver, Phoenix, and Las Vegas are also popular destinations.
Becker stated that business travel by small and medium businesses recovered more quickly than corporate travel.
The economy in Seattle is showing signs that it's growing despite the fact that top employers such as Amazon and Microsoft laid off thousands of workers over the last six months.
Becker stated that 'people are returning to work, even in a hybrid environment. They're on the road once again'. Many are taking bleisure (a mixture of business and leisure or pleasure) trips, but we're seeing growth in general.
The increased traffic in the Pacific Northwest can be attributed to the increase in international flights, which offer 22% more seats compared to 2022.
Becker added that the relaxation of Covid requirements was too late to accommodate most summer vacation plans for 2022.
She said that the'revenge trip' of last summer had not benefited international travel.
All international airlines, such as Aer Lingus Unlimited and EVA Air and Turkish Airlines and All Nippon Airways, have seen the most growth in Pacific Northwest flights and seats.
Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines and other ultra-low-cost carriers have added more flights than any other U.S. airline. Each has seen a growth of around 50%.