Summer Travel Planning: Why I Book My Return Flight First (And How I Actually Do It) — A Real-Life Strategy from a Maui-Based, World-Traveling Mom

I start every summer trip the same way. With the last flight. The return home. Once that's locked in, dates, destinations, decisions are easier to define. It might sound counterintuitive, but booking the end first is the most practical move I know. Here's why it works, and the tools I'm using to do it smarter than ever.