Experience is the best teacher.

We enjoyed our summer adventures and discovered what to adjust for our fall travels—especially since LDW revealed that travel remains highly popular. Read on for our seasonal travel recap, aimed at ensuring more relaxed upcoming journeys.

The essentials

The latest travel updates and stories of the week.

Changes are afoot. Just like the changing seasons, the DOT has announced that US airlines are set to implement 'substantial changes' to enhance traveler care.
Settle your debts. Remember our mention of a new dashboard designed to help travelers determine what they're owed? It's now officially operational.
When the week is short… We're lagging behind—much like the Global Entry application process. The US Dept. of Homeland Security now suggests applying for TSA PreCheck as an alternative.
A bittersweet feeling. The post-vacation adjustment is real, especially as summer fades—here are five tips to help combat those post-trip blues.
Some things can stick around. While we’re pleased that travel is returning to normalcy, there are a few COVID travel trends we appreciate—like visiting our National Parks.

Travel trends to watch

Insights from summer ‘22 travel. Summer 2022 truly was the era of revenge travel. We’re thankful for the adventures, despite a few bumps along the way. The good news is that many challenges we encountered this summer have eased, and we’re now better prepared for any that may arise this fall. Here’s a recap of key points to consider for your autumn travels:

Utilize resources to save. Despite a significant rise in flight prices and travel costs overall, this fall might offer better deals. Be sure to leverage tools like Price Alerts and Price Freeze when organizing your upcoming trips.
Always have a contingency plan. Given weather disruptions and staffing shortages, we learned the importance of having a backup travel plan and arriving at the airport ahead of time. If your flight is delayed, we now have the DOT dashboard to find out your compensation.
Travel light when possible. After experiencing lost or delayed checked luggage, we were reminded of the benefits of packing light and avoiding checked bags altogether. Even though these issues have improved, it’s wise to travel light this fall.
Evaluate your options. To mitigate travel expenses, we assessed different transportation methods to see what worked best for reaching our destination. We also noted that choosing an electric car rental can save money at the pump.

Insider tips

Embrace fall. Want a fall getaway filled with stunning autumn scenery without the stress of driving? Amtrak has your back. They have just reopened a beloved route for the season, starting in Seattle and winding through Vancouver, BC, showcasing breathtaking foliage along the way.

And here’s a fun tip – you can book this train and more through Dinogo. Just visit the trains and buses section, enter King Street Station to Pacific Central Station, and secure your seat.