CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Spring break is just a few weeks away for most Charlotte-area schools.
For those thinking about vacationing during the break, be prepared to pay up.
When it comes to the cost of plane tickets, they’re 26.5% more expensive in 2023 than they were in 2022.
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, staying at a hotel or motel is 7.4% more expensive now than it was in February 2022. It costs more to dine out too, with the price of going to a sit-down restaurant up 8% in the one-year window.
The only category experiencing a decline in cost is car rentals, and it’s not by much. The bureau said renting a car or truck is now 0.8% less expensive than it was a year ago.
It's not all bad news, though. According to the bureau, while most everything still costs more these days, the economy of travel seems to be heading in the right direction. The bureau's All Items Index, which measures prices paid by consumers for goods and services, increased by 6% for the 12 months ending in February 2023. That's the smallest 12-month increase since September 2021.
Unfortunately, that momentum shift does little to help with spring break on the horizon.
Contact Carolyn Bruck at cbruck@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
WCNC Charlotte is always asking "where's the money?" If you need help, reach out to WCNC Charlotte by emailing money@wcnc.com.