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A friendly reminder to anyone who enjoys travel as the seasons change and the weather cools: If you're still wondering how to use your vacation days this fall and haven't yet booked a trip, now is the time to get a plan in place.
In addition to scoring an array of fast-disappearing deals, booking fall travel now means locking in plans for what is shaping up to be another busy vacation season. According to a recent survey from AmEx Trendex, 63 percent of consumers want to be more intentional with their paid time off this fall and use it for vacations.
Given the proven benefits of using all your vacation days, that statistic is encouraging. But it also means that autumn bookings are going fast, especially as pandemic restrictions in the U.S. continue to roll back.
In terms of what types of fall vacations will be most popular, domestic trips seem to still be ranking high. “While it’s too early to tell exactly what the fall travel season will look like, we expect to see a lot of the travel trends that emerged earlier this year continue to remain popular," says Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel. "We’re seeing travelers continue to seek out outdoor destinations where they can more easily access space and enjoy privacy." Essentially, travelers can expect destinations and attractions that have been popular since the pandemic's onset—like national parks—to continue to be swarming with visitors through fall.
Late summer can be one of the best times to find travel bargains for autumn, too. A handful of airlines, including JetBlue and Southwest, have been holding periodic flash sales in recent weeks offering discounts on flights for fall. If rail travel is more your speed, Amtrak is offering up to 50 percent off its Saver Fares and flexible cancellation options for customers who book at least two weeks in advance. That's potentially a valuable deal on rides through regions in the Northeast with the most prolific fall foliage in the U.S., for example.
There are also still deals to be had on autumn hotel stays, according to recent data from Expedia. The numbers show that September is a sweet spot for hotel rates in cities like New York and Nashville, with the average daily room cost clocking in at $257 and $264 per night, respectively. In October, affordable hotel stays are plentiful in San Francisco (an average of $216 per night), Salt Lake City ($156 a night), and near Yellowstone National Park ($182 per night), while in November, hotels in destinations like Austin, Texas ($236 per night) and Boise, Idaho ($143 per night) offer some of the best deals, according to Expedia.
Of course, top of mind for many travelers is how the metastasizing outbreak of the Delta variant in the U.S. and abroad might affect future trips. On that front, Hendley advises travelers be willing to revert to plan B. “I experienced this firsthand on a recent family vacation to the Dominican Republic when COVID-19 restrictions changed overnight,” she says. "My advice for anyone looking to travel right now is to do your research ahead of time to know what travel requirements exist at your destination, go into it with an open mind, and be willing to pivot if things don’t go exactly as planned. And lastly, don’t forget to enjoy yourself."
At the end of the day, the best advice is to not get too stressed over how to use your vacation days wisely. “It’s also important to remember planning travel should be fun,” Hendley says. "If the idea of planning a two-week vacation is the reason you are putting it off, then start with a simple weekend getaway—or day trip—at a nearby destination. Travel isn’t only about the hard-to-get-to destinations, it’s also about exploring the local gems and enjoying time with your loved ones or by yourself."
All products featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.