Travel prices keep some people grounded

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-People making Summer travel reservations may be feeling sticker shock.

Airline prices are soaring due to fuel prices, spiking demand and limited seats.

Santa Barbara Travel's Chief Operating Officer David de L'Arbe said his agency has been busy booking travel for musicians and production people returning to post-COVID work levels.

But they are also getting a lot of calls from people planning summer vacations and many are alarmed by the prices.

"People are surprised at just how expensive things are getting, there are a couple of reasons for that," said de L' Arbe" There's a couple reasons for that, first during COVID airlines cut their schedules and their capacity is down and demand is way up and so it is pretty simple when their are a few seats airlines are really going to raise their rates and we are seeing a lot of that right now."

He recommends planning your trip as early as possible.

"If you can't know what your budget."

He also suggests buying travel insurance and working with an agency who can help you when things don't go as planning.

Parents visiting the Santa Barbara Fair & Expo with a newborn named Zion would love to travel to Germany, Cuba, Peru and Philippines.

But Genee "Nae" Haraway and Charles Baca said those plans will have to wait until travel is more affordable.

"My family wants us to go to the Philippines this year but the tickets are expensive as well--a thousand dollars, so," said Haraway.

"The farthest we are going is from Camarillo to Santa Barbara right now maybe some more trips in between," said Baca.

People flying in and out of the Santa Barbara airport

Retired traveler Chris West isn't complaining but said he noticed prices going up months ago.

"They are still pretty expensive compared to where they used to be 18 months ago."

Your News Channel will have more on summer travel including some tips tonight on the news.