JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Tuesday, drivers woke up to gas prices that jumped overnight. A lot of the rapid increase was attributed to the United States bombing of Iran, affecting oil prices.
Other travel options, particularly flights, can also be affected by the situation in the Middle East.
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News4JAX spoke with Scott Lara, a travel expert with Cruise Genius. He suggested avoiding booking flights for roughly a month or two. Lara said that this should give the Middle East situation time to cool down and oil prices to possibly decrease as well.
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Lara also said you’re more likely to be impacted by cost hikes if you travel to international destinations like Europe or the Middle East.
“Another month or two months, airline prices will almost certainly go up,” Lara said. “Fact of the matter is, if you’re going to Chicago or Cancun, the prices are going to be okay. But if you’re flying over to Munich or Frankfurt, those prices will be going up.”
Lara, who specializes in cruises, noted that these trips are likely to remain unaffected for those who have already booked or choose to book now, due to their long-term scheduling. However, delaying your booking could result in higher prices.
Lara also said the situation in the Middle East reinforces how important travel insurance is.
“When you get travel insurance, it gives you that peace of mind. If you get caught somewhere. For example, there are people stuck in the Middle East in an airport,” Lara said. “Travel insurance will help.”