The cost of flights are still, on average, lower than pre-pandemic ticket prices. Business travel still hasn't fully recovered either. Which means you're able to score last-minute sales on seats that would have gone to business travelers who historically would pay full price. Hotel rooms in warm weather getaway destinations have been increasing fast, but in large cities like New York and San Francisco, prices are lower than normal. And internationally, you can find even better deals than you can in the States. However, with the conflict in Ukraine, some travel agents are warning that you may want to hold off on booking some Eastern European trips that could be affected by the crisis.

The great deals won't last and the reality is that prices are going up. They're going up little by little everyday. According to Hopper's recent Consumer Affairs Index Report, airline fares will likely increase 7% per month for the next several months. Plus, pent-up demand is leading to a surge in interest. Travelers are also sitting on larger point balances, both because they haven't been redeeming their points and because they've been adding to the pile over the last two years with credit card purchases tied to airline loyalty accounts. The more people start booking trips, the faster those prices will rise.

One upside to the pandemic is that as travel demand plummeted, consumers got a lot more power. Airlines dropped their notorious change fees and hotels ditched cancellation fees. While some restrictions for basic economy tickets have returned, they're still more flexible than pre-pandemic. That means you can book an ideal summer trip now and make any necessary changes if your schedule (or the state of travel) changes later on. Keep in mind, that booking directly with a hotel or airline is the best way to ensure you get the most flexibility. And take advantage of miles and loyalty programs, as airlines are desperate to sign people up.

Experts predict that both the mask mandate and the negative test to re-enter the U.S. will disappear sometime this year. By this summer, you likely won't have to wear a mask—though some of us will still feel safer masking up and wiping down our tray tables for the foreseeable future. But you'll be able to relax a bit more. And most major carriers have resumed serving alcohol on flights as well.

There are a slew of companies offering buy-now, pay-later deals for their flights, cruises and vacation packages. Uplift now works with United Airlines and Royal Caribbean Cruises, while Affirm offers plans with American Airlines, Delta, Expedia and Vrbo. Think of it as a layaway plan for your future trip. Qualified buyers are provided interest-free plans, but some deals can run upwards of 30%. Just make sure the interest is lower than what you'd pay on a credit card.