Travel News June 2023

Summer is here and as we know, it is also the start of hurricane season. We have already heard of the first tropical depressions that have formed off the Atlantic coast. While it is hard to predict exactly how “bad” a particular hurricane season will be it is important to be prepared.

The Moody’s RMS forecast for 2023 indicates that "a near-normal season is most likely, with an equal possibility of the season concluding above- or below normal."

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts that this hurricane season will bring "a range of 12 to 17 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 5 to 9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher)."

While the overall prediction suggests a near-normal hurricane season, experts caution that the impact of a single powerful event can transform it into a memorable season, as seen during last year’s near-normal season with Hurricane Ian, one of the costliest U.S. hurricanes on record.

Even if your destination is not prone to hurricanes, the flight path you take may be, which could cause delays or interruptions to travel. Read how travel insurance can help - and what's covered and not covered during hurricane season - in our Travel Insurance and Bad Weather guide.

One important note is that you must purchase travel insurance before a storm is named for that particular storm or hurricane to be a covered reason for a claim. A Trip Cancellation plan with Cancel for Any Reason and Interruption for Any Reason from Trawick International is the best option during this time.

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This summer, Americans are doing what they can in order to afford a trip for their summer vacation, even if the economic climate means they may be rethinking their original plans.

A new study is projecting that 50.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Fourth of July holiday travel period. If this prediction holds up, it will become the new record for Independence Day weekend. According to data from AAA Travel, domestic travel in the United States over the long weekend will increase by 2.1 million people compared to 2022 and should pass the 2019 total of 49 million American travelers.

Domestic airfare ahead of the July 4 holiday weekend has dropped a whopping 27 percent compared to last year, welcome news for domestic travelers. An average roundtrip domestic flight for the holiday weekend now costs $300 -- that's $100 less than the same time last year, according to the travel app Hopper. However, some days are more expensive to travel on than others. Travelers who depart on Saturday, July 1, and return on either Monday or Tuesday can save an average of $74 per ticket. The most popular days to travel are Friday, June 30, and Tuesday, July 4.

While trips to Europe may be more expensive, Hopper noted travelers hoping to escape on an international getaway can still find deals to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. In fact, these trips are coming in at less than half the price of a trip to Europe or Asia.

Read about what type of travel insurance is right for you based on the kind of summer trip you are taking in our Summer Travel Insurance Guide, then get a no-obligation quote to insure your summer vacation.

Europe remains one of the most popular summer travel destinations for 2023, but potential strikes among security officers, air traffic controllers, and pilots could impact your summer travel plans.

Multiple countries in Europe are dealing with protests and strikes for various reasons. In France, protests from the increase in retirement age are ongoing. Italy has transport workers for ground and air travel walking out to demand better pay. And Scotland, Sweden, Spain, and Germany all have either ongoing strikes or planned strikes through June and July, according to Euronews.travel.

In the UK, there is good news at London Heathrow Airport, where security staff recently called off strikes after voting to accept a pay offer. More than 2,000 staff were due to strike for 31 days this summer. However, if you are flying through Birmingham, be aware that, like in Italy, workers could stage walkouts over pay, potentially leading to significant delays and flight cancellations.

Transportation strikes are not necessarily uncommon across Europe, however, and some will affect travel more than others. If your summer travel includes Europe, know in advance what’s happening where and prepare a plan B, just in case.

It’s important to note that while the European Union’s consumer protection regulation, known as Regulation EC No 261/2004, provides compensation to passengers flying to, from, and within Europe for canceled and delayed flights, worker strikes are considered “extraordinary circumstances” that do not require the airlines to provide compensation.

Travelers heading to Europe this summer may want to consider investing in travel insurance with optional Cancel for Any Reason and Interruption for Any Reason benefits, like our Safe Travels Voyager plan.

To kick off summer travel, Trawick International wants to give one of you a $300 gift card to Béis, a luxury travel luggage brand!

There are several ways to enter for this giveaway. Posting your favorite travel photo and using #TravelsWithTrawick earns you the most points, so make sure to post any and all of your favorite travel pictures! We can't wait to see them!

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