Home for the Holidays
There is no place like home for the holidays, but getting there can be a little hectic. Chances are this year is going to be even more tumultuous, especially for those looking to fly home.
“Expect extreme crowding and extreme delays,” said freelance travel writer Edward Hasbrouk, who spoke to students at the Utah State University Study Abroad fair two weeks ago.
Airlines are cutting seat capacity to make up for the lack of demand for plane tickets after the events of Sept. 11, Hasbrouk said.
Many hope the decreased demand for air travel will result in cheaper tickets.
“We haven’t seen a lot of difference,” Murdock Travel agent Kathy Fortie said.
As far as sales go, there has been “nothing to get the industry back online,” she said.
Nevertheless, there are still deals to be found, said American Airlines sales representative Brenda Jones.
“There’s a lot of discount programs online, such as www.hotwire.com that can help you search for the best rates, or you could call each airline separately,” Jones said.
There is a vast range of ticket prices which depend on a number of factors, Jones said. For example, an American Airlines ticket from Las Vegas to New York City would cost just $158 if one was to buy it at least a week in advance, or as much as $2,000 for a coach seat if it was not bought in advance, Jones said.
What day of the week a flight is on, and the time it departs also factors into the price of the ticket, Jones said.
While it is often the fastest, flying is certainly not the only option for many students traveling home. Amtrak, a nation wide railroad, also offers passenger tickets to many cities, Amtrak salesperson Lori Barnes said. Amtrak offers student discounts to holders of a Student Advantage Card, Barnes said.
Like reserving an airline ticket, an Amtrak ticket should also be purchased a week in advance, Barnes said.
“Tickets become more expensive as seats are less available,” Barnes said.
Tickets should be bought early not only to get a better rate, but just to get a seat, she said.
“[Holiday season tickets] started selling out a month ago,” Barnes said. “We start booking holiday season tickets at the end of August.”
Amtrak has a station in Salt Lake City, and while the train doesn’t run everywhere, Amtrak motorcoaches can often take passengers from the nearest station to the destination city, according to the Amtrak Web page at www.amtrak.com.
Tickets are generally less expensive than flying, Barnes said.
An Amtrak ride from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, for example, is about $70 if bought in advance, not including student discount, according to the Amtrak Web page.
Another travel option is the Greyhound bus.
“[Greyhound tickets] tend to be less expensive than an airline ticket,” said local Greyhound ticket salesman Sam Clemments.
The average Greyhound ticket price is about $36, according to the Greyhound Web page.
“And you don’t have to drive,” Clemments said.
Greyhound tickets are also about half as expensive when bought in advance, but because the bus expands its schedule over the holidays, tickets almost never sell out, Clemments said.
An additional advantage to Greyhound is that there is a station in Logan at 754 W. and 600 North.
Students should remember that airlines, Amtrak and Greyhound bus lines require passengers to carry government-issued photo identification. Representatives from each of these travel companies advise travelers to carry a paper ticket, even if it is bought over the Internet. All travelers should confirm their reservations 24 hours before the flight or ride, Barnes said.