Your 2025 Summer Travel Guide

Ah, summer travel...the modern-day odyssey where your patience and your luggage get tested simultaneously. Where your journey from curbside drop-off to your destination is often its own reality TV survival show. Today’s travelers face a gauntlet of challenges that would make even the most seasoned globetrotter cringe. Let’s face it: travel this summer is going to be like paying for a five-star meal and getting a bag of peanuts—if the peanuts aren’t stuck somewhere in the supply chain.

Janet and I have taken several trips already this year, and the experience has opened my eyes to trends and changes you’ll want to be prepared for, so let’s unpack them.

Travel Demand is Down, but Bargains Remain Elusive

Travel demand is down this summer season, and particularly international travel. Janet and I discovered that when we arrive in Jamaica and found the airport wasn’t nearly as chaotic as usual. That carried over to our resort where we discovered an anemic 50% occupancy rate, this at a place that is normally booked to near capacity year-round. The drop in demand is even more noticeable when you look at travelers coming into the U.S. We’ve asked our colleagues, suppliers, and travel professionals in other countries for their take on the reason, and while all agreed demand is down, nobody could agree on why. I figure it is probably a combination of factors rather than any one in particular.

What is a little surprising is that travel pricing hasn’t fully reflected the drop-off in demand. Normally, slow travel periods are when you can expect price drops as airlines and tour operators seek to attract customers. Not this time…at least not so far. You may find the occasional year-over-year price drop on some routes, but it is hardly universal. I chalk it up to airlines, resorts, and hotels using the unexpected lull to get in some much-needed maintenance and upgrades deferred by the post-COVID-fueled spike in demand of the past few years. Whether that continues to be the case throughout the summer remains to be seen, but if you are like most summer travelers you won’t be able to take advantage…you’ve already locked in your plans and purchased your tickets. At least you might get to stretch out a bit if your flight isn't completely full.

Real ID and the All Too Real Check-in Restrictions

The much-delayed roll-out of Real ID in airports across the country became reality on May 7, 2025. Finally. It took so long to get here that unless you’ve been living under a rock you probably didn’t even notice. The delayed roll out isn't a bad thing as all 50 states now issue Real ID compliant drivers licenses and picture IDs through their respective DMVs. And for those living under a rock, TSA has alternate procedures in place just in case, though it will take more time and there is no guarantee you’ll be allowed past the security checkpoint without a compliant ID. Check with your airline if you are unsure whether your ID is compliant.

Insider tip: Passports are compliant.

Other check-in restrictions that are rolling out include new, more restrictive cut-off times for both dropping your luggage and checking in for your flight. Gone are the laughably naïve days of the recent TikTok “Airport Theory” viral trend. That was the short-lived trend telling travelers that they need not arrive at an airport any earlier than 20-30 minutes prior to their scheduled flight departure. As if TikTok is a reliable source for anything other than the latest dance moves.

Most airlines now cut-off check-in for people and luggage at between 45-minutes to 1-hour prior your scheduled departure time, longer if you are flying international (check with your airline). If you show up any closer to your flight’s departure time you won’t be allowed to check in. And just to be clear, we still recommend planning to arrive at least 2 hours prior to your scheduled departure for domestic flights, 3 hours for international, and longer if you travel during busy holiday seasons or on peak summer travel days. Because getting checked in for your flight still doesn’t get you past the TSA security check point.

UK and European Electronic Travel Authorizations

This was supposed to be the summer when anyone traveling from the US to the UK or Europe had to submit an electronic travel authorization form before being allowed past the immigration checkpoints. Both the UK and EU planned to have their systems up and running in time for this summer’s peak travel season, but only the UK succeeded. If you plan to travel to the UK this summer, whether that be London, Belfast, or Edinburgh, you’ll have to apply online for permission to do so. The process is simple, the fee £16 per person (roughly $22 USD), and the approval comes fast...at most a couple of days and often within a few minutes. All of the travelers we’ve booked for the UK have had no problems with the new process. And although you can apply on the UK ETA website, it is best to do so using the UK ETA app…search your phone’s app store to find it. Meanwhile, the EU is still struggling with their equivalent, the ETIAS. Implementation has been deferred, again. It is now expected to go into effect in late 2026, but with all the delays it has suffered so far, I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Super Soakers and Spit

You may think this year is the worst time check off that bucket list trip to Europe. There are stories nearly every week about locals in the most popular European destinations taking out their frustrations over excessive tourism on the very travelers that fuel their tourism economies. I’ve read about people using squirt guns to hose down tourists visiting the most popular, and most crowded sites, with some going so far as spitting on tourists. Those are anecdotes, and in my experience aren't specifically targeting U.S. tourists. After all, many of the tourists at the most popular European attractions come from other European nations.

I don’t think it presents a real hazard, nor a reason to avoid international travel. Janet and I have been to Europe twice this year and haven’t encountered any hostility from locals. On the contrary, on both trips the locals we encountered continue to be respectful and appreciative of Americans seeking to expand our horizons by visiting their countries…and spending our money along the way.

Insider tip: You may want to leave the patriotic Americana wear at home, which is always a good idea when traveling internationally. Those USA and American sports team shirts and hats mark you as an easy target for the super soakers...and pick-pocketers. Of course, as hot as temps have been in Europe the past few summers, you may appreciate getting hosed down by a super soaker as you wait in a long line of like-minded tourists.

The Airline Carry-On Conundrum

Remember when your carry-on was just a trusty sidekick? Now it’s a diva demanding better treatment than you might get. With airlines squeezing more seats onto planes than ever, overhead bin space has become the ultimate battleground. Gate agents are under increasing pressure to get flights out on time. So, they start gate-checking bags faster than you can say “Is this bag too big?” The catch? They often do this before bins are actually full, leading passengers to reluctantly surrender their prized roller bags only to see plenty of empty overhead space once onboard. Cue the collective eye-roll and muttered curses.

Another challenge with carry-on is that airlines can’t seem to agree on a size standard. Most major US carriers use storage bins designed to hold bags that are 22X14X9 inches, but Southwest and Frontier use slightly larger bins, accommodating bags up to 24X16X10 inches. The size difference between airlines can be a real headache when you fly a carrier that permits larger bags but connect one that has a smaller size allowance. That is particularly problematic when you are connecting with a foreign carrier, like Lufthansa or KLM. Both of whom use slightly smaller size restrictions than the major US airlines.

Just because your bag meets the standards of one airline doesn’t mean it meets the standards of all, so check with all the airlines you'll be flying on your next trip. And be prepared to surrender your roll-aboard if the bins are indeed full.

Insider tip: Pack all necessary items like medications, electronics, and travel documents (passport, visas, entry documents) in a separate bag within your carry-on so you can quickly remove them if you are directed to gate check your roll-aboard. When the airplane boarding process reaches that point, you'll be given all of two seconds to comply or risk being escorted off the plane along with your carry-on.

Southwest Airlines: Farewell to Freebies

Southwest Airlines, once the beloved champion of free checked bags and open seating, has thrown in the towel on its legendary perks. After 58 years of “bags fly free,” the airline introduced checked baggage fees starting with tickets purchased on or after May 28, 2025. Now, unless you wield the magic of a Southwest credit card or elite traveler status, expect to shell out $35 for the first checked bag and $45 for the second...more if your bags exceed the weight or size limits. When we checked in for our Southwest flight to Jamaica recently, they took a tape measure and measured our checked bags’ in addition to weighing them. The gate agents also insisted all passengers consolidate their carry-on luggage to one bag for the overhead bin and one personal item to be stowed under the seat in front of them. No more multiple personal items...even that fanny pack you're wearing counts. Southwest’s new baggage policy will make it even more challenging to find room for your roll-aboard as more passengers turn to carry-on luggage in an effort to avoid the extra fees for checked bags.

You can also say goodbye to Southwest’s simple fare structure and open seating, but not this summer. Southwest plans to roll out that change just in time for the 2026 travel season. They are transitioning to assigned seating with tickets purchased in late 2025 for travel in 2026, alongside a rebranding of their fare bundles. The new fare bundles are going into place now, and they are confusing. The features vary based on your status as a premier flyer or if you have a Southwest rewards credit card, so read carefully before buying your next Southwest ticket.

So there you have it: your 2025 guide to summer travel. From wrestling with carry-on bags that want to live rent-free in the overhead bins, to navigating Southwest’s farewell to freebies, or the new international travel authorization requirements, summer travel has never been more challenging. But it is still rewarding, so pack your patience, double-check those carry on sizes, and maybe, just maybe, bring a sense of humor along for the ride. Safe travels!