SAN ANTONIO — More and more people are hopping onboard a new travel trend that's been dubbed “gig-tripping.” But this not-so-new concept just became a lot easier for San Antonians looking to make that Europe trip this summer.
A local Taylor Swift fan is one of many here in the Alamo City hopping on the trend and onboard the new non-stop direct flight to Frankfurt, Germany, via Condor to experience the Eras Tour in a unique and more affordable way.
What is gig-tripping?
The term is a new buzz word for a concept that's been around long before the Eras Tour, though demand for tickets to see the pop star has made it all the more popular.
A gig-trip is when a person books a vacation or trip around a concert or event.
“This isn’t a new concept, this is a very old concept with a new term,” said Becky Schulze, with Accent Travel Agency. “Gig-tripping is a great opportunity to bring together something that you really enjoy and you really want to do, and tying it into a vacation.”
Schulze said it’s not always the cheaper alternative due to hotel costs near major concerts, but the introduction of San Antonio's first overseas direct flight with Condor might just help travelers headed to Europe to offset those costs.
The first-ever direct international service from San Antonio International Airport (SAT) launched just last week after it had been highly anticipated since its announcement in September of last year.
The service flies directly to Frankfurt, Germany, a central hub that makes the rest of Europe easily accessible to travelers. It will be operated seasonally, with flights currently scheduled for every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until Sept. 6.
Condor prides itself as being a more cost-effective European travel option.
"I think we see round-trip flights in economy anywhere from $650 to $800 just depending on when you’re looking,” said Jacob Tyler, SAT chief air service development officer. “It’s really opening up opportunities for people to travel to Europe that maybe have not had the opportunity to do it before, because the fares that Condor offers are really making it possible.”
Tyler said the gig-tripping trend is something he and others in the industry have noticed.
“I mean, I was at a conference this week and three people flew from there to see Taylor Swift. So I think it’s a super popular thing that people are doing right now.”
Meet Mia: A local Swiftie and “gig-tripper” taking advantage of the new flight
A 29-year-old San Antonio native and lifelong Taylor Swift fan, Mia Garza-White, and her husband have an exciting European summer vacation planned around seeing the singer-songwriter on her Eras Tour stop in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Mia and her husband will travel via the new Condor flight to Frankfurt in July, at which point they plan to take an excursion to the Spanish island of Mallorca and travel to other German cities including Dusseldorf, Hamburg and, finally, Gelsenkirchen—where Taylor Swift is set to perform.
“I’m super excited, we’re like planning our outfits and stuff,” said Mia.
Mia explains that the opportunity to take this gig-trip came about after an unsuccessful attempt to get tickets to the Eras Tour in the U.S. over a year ago.
“My husband was actually the one that surprised me by purchasing the tickets to the Germany show," she said. "He was like, ‘We’re going to make this happen.'"
That’s when the couple, who also planned to take a European vacation this summer, learned about the new direct flight to Frankfurt with Condor.
“We were like, ‘OK, the stars are aligning for us to be able to take this trip and see Taylor Swift at the same time and it’s actually more convenient, more affordable and it saves us time,’” she said.
The decision to take this gig-trip, she said, was worth the cost.
“I had friends of friends who paid like thousands of dollars for tickets to see Taylor Swift in the U.S,” she said.
When she was looking for tickets in Houston, Dallas and other locations across the U.S, she says was unable to find anything under $1,000.
But when Swift announced the European leg of the tour, Mia said she found the prices to be much more affordable and accessible, with tickets to the Germany show costing her husband around $300 for floor seats.
“So that’s like a huge price difference and then we were planning on taking the European vacation anyway,” she said. “Overall it made it a more affordable experience to do it all together because of the direct flight.”
The 29-year-old says she’s excited for the opportunity to combine her love for Swift, an artist she says she grew up listening to, with a European summer getaway for what is sure to be an enchanted experience.
Planning your next gig-trip?
Travel advisor Becky Schulze shared her tips for those who may be planning something similar or doing any traveling this summer.
For starters, plan early, and make sure you have travel protection.
Schulze says to be mindful of the “umbrella theory." That is, if you have the umbrella with you, it most likely won’t rain. But if it does rain – or if something goes wrong while traveling – you won’t get wet.
“Any vacation is an investment, nothing is guaranteed,” she adds.
Additionally, she recommends being cautious when booking online or booking yourself. Schulze recalls horror stories of travelers who booked a phony Airbnb or got scammed while booking a vacation and urges travelers to remember: “If it sounds too good to be true, there’s a reason.”
Finally, she says, consider working with a travel agent.
A travel advisor herself, Schulze suggests consulting with one to help you plan your trip.
“We do know different tips and tricks," she said. "We know from our own experiences, or our clients experiences of things to do and things to avoid.”
