WHILE some workers return to the office this year, many others continue to work remotely indefinitely. This seismic shift has changed where people live and work and, increasingly, how they travel.
Reckmen’s experience reflects a larger trend. One in five travelers this summer plan to do work on the road, according to a report from Deloitte, an international professional services network. Of these so-called “laptop luggers,” 4 in 5 plan to extend the length of their trips because of schedule flexibility.Remote work has blurred the line between business and personal travel. Rather than leaving home rarely for vacation, remote workers can travel at any time.
“I got three weeks of vacation before,” says Wickstrom, “But I never feel like I have to take vacation time because … I’m always on vacation.” According to data from Hopper, a travel booking app, the cost of domestic flights on Sundays and Mondays has risen 5.90% and 2.97%, respectively, in 2022 compared to 2019, while the cost of flying on Friday and Saturday has dropped by 3.04% and 1.60%. It’s now cheaper to fly on a Saturday than a Monday, on average.
“I save over $2,000 a month after taxes by living in Florida,” says Reckman. “We’re traveling a lot more because of that.”