HOUSTON — While people are finding ways to cool down, the summer travel season is just about to heat up.
"We're in full beach mode now," Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis said. "Most of the kids are out of school now so we just had the huge volume."
It's shaping up to be an expensive summer for travelers. Experts are predicting pre-pandemic passenger numbers at airports, and with that boost comes a bump in cost as well.
"It was $200 to $300 before and now it's like $700 or $800," Cameron Lee said.
The cost of a plane ticket isn't the only price soaring. Gas prices are reaching record levels.
"It sucks, but what am I going to do? Just not go anywhere?" Hunter Berecz said.
On Monday, AAA said the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas rose to $4.62. In Texas, the average is lower at $4.24, but keep in mind if you travel it'll likely be more.
Check gas prices around the Houston area at KHOU.com/gasprices
"This may be the low point for the summer, in what could become a very expensive summer to fill your tank," said Patrick De Haan, a spokesperson from GasBuddy.com.
To add insult to injury, hotels are up 40% from last year, according to a travel research firm. The price for an Airbnb or a VRBO is up 13%, according to AirDNA.
"What we've gone through as a country over the past couple of years, that is spurring people to just get out," said Andrew Gross, a AAA spokesperson.