As summer vacation draws near, many people will head out on European tours, cruises to Mexico and the Caribbean, beach vacations, adventure travel destinations, and relaxing getaways. If you need airfare for this summer, now is the time to book.

Not only are there a lot of cheap tickets and discount airfares for this time of year, it could be the last time we see airfares this low for a while. Demand is up, flights are down While many people have cut back on travel in the last year, many expect an increase in travel and vacations this summer. While many people may not be going as far or spending as much money, there is still expected to be a lot of people flying this summer.

As airlines seek to increase their revenues, they have reduced the number of flights so that more planes are filled to capacity. With the United and Continental merger, we can expect even less flights in the future as the two airlines will consolidate their flights. Less seat capacity and more demand could lead to higher prices this summer. More fees and charges Add to the cost of flying the various fees that airlines are now charging. Almost every airline (Jet Blue and Southwest excluded) will charge you for the first bag you check. Other fees are piling up as well for things like airline food, pillows, blankets, movies, and more. For a family, these extra fees could add hundreds of dollars to the cost of an already increasing airline ticket price.

As reported on Friday, there is news that more charges could happen this summer which would make flying even more expensive. US airlines are considering a decision to increase the fuel surcharge for flights this summer. The price of jet fuel continues to go up. Even though airlines are starting to increase their revenues, costs (like jet fuel) are increasing as well. The bad news is that British Airways has already increased the fuel surcharge on certain flights. When one airline takes a step forward, the rest tend to follow. If these fuel surcharges are increased, then less capacity and more demand could lead to a greater increase in airline ticket prices. Book now Experts are encouraging passengers to book their airfares for summer travel now. Airlines have been having a number of deals with Lufthansa's sale to Europe and Delta and Continental's round trip airfare sale to various cities for under $300. Along with prices and increased demand, there is the ripple effect that is making it's way through travel. Fewer airlines to choose from means less competition. Less competition and capacity means more overbooked flights. And more overbooked flights means you could get bumped from your flight involuntarily (check out How to avoid getting bumped when your airline overbooks). One advantage to booking now could be your choice of destination.

Travel destinations like Mexico have taken a hit lately and other places like the Gulf of Mexico (Florida, New Orleans, and others) and Nashville (flooding) are being impacted by events like the oil spill and flooding. Europe has struggled with ash problems from the Iceland volcano and a financial crisis in Greece with ones in Spain and Portugal looming. For destinations such as this, now may be a good time to get a cheap hotel or nice vacation package before things begin to turn around. If you are flying this summer, both airline ticket prices and fees and surcharges are likely to go up. So don't wait - now is the time to book your flight for summer travel. If you are flying from Sacramento, San Francisco, or Oakland, there are good deals on Southwest and some cheap round trip tickets on Delta and Continental right now.