With One Exception, Summer Travel Costs Are Up

Americans heading out this summer may find the journey costs more than they're used to. The New York Times zeroes in on the travel-related elements of new federal inflation data for May that was released Wednesday. The upshot: travel-related prices are sharply up nearly across the board. The standout figures:

• Airline fares: They've risen 26.7% year over year.
• Hotel rates: Up about 5% (the Times notes FIFA demand could be a contributing factor).
• Public transportation: Up nearly 17%.
• Car and truck rentals: The one bright spot, they're down roughly 6%.
• Gas: But the gas bill for driving that rental will be much higher, with fuel costs up 40%.
• Overall: In its report based on April numbers, NerdWallet put the year-over-year increase for average US travel costs at 9%, well above inflation.