When I took a trip to Spain this past March, I realized something – travel is back.

The airports were sardine-packed and the plane seats were all full.

Airlinecancellations and delays are skyrocketing, along withfuel costs.

Those rising prices will affect road trips as well as flights.

In fact,airfare costs rose by 12.6%in May, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Food costs arealso higher, and global economies remain short-staffed as a result of the pandemic.

Yet 85% of Americans expect to travel this summer, according to theUS Travel Association.

Here’s how to save on travel despite the climbing costs.

The same applies to flights booked using miles.

Airlines used to charge a mile redeposit fee, Mayerowitz said.

“Book early when tickets are cheaper,” she said.

“Then change or cancel if your plans change.

And you’ll most likely be one of the last passengers to board the plane.

But it was onlyafterI selected the tickets that all the restrictions came to light.

Travelers need to do their research first and be comfortable with restrictions they agree to.

Absolutely, though it depends on the situation.

In this case, packing less could save you more.

If you’re one of them, dipping into the reserves now is an easy way to save cash.

“There’s just a massive stockpile of unused points and miles out there,” Mayerowitz said.

Travelers accumulated over 27 billion unused miles by the end of 2020, according to a ValuePenguinstudy.

Remember, these are bonuses that add up.

I’m not talking about room upgrades, although those are always nice.

Benefits like free faster Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast, late checkout and additional bonus points have equivalent monetary value.

Using a brandedhotel credit cardwhen booking directly with a hotel can help advance your rewards and savings even further.

This may give you some peace of mind while protecting you financially.