2024 Spring Break Travel Outlook

With Spring Break right around the corner millions of Americans are thinking about their warm weather spring break getaways already. 90% of those traveling this spring say price and affordability are top of mind as they plan their trips so the expert team at Hopper pulled together the ultimate guide for planning the best, most affordable spring break trip this year. 

Though affordability is top of mind for travelers, 3/4 of those who are planning to take off for Spring are expecting to spend the same or more than they did on trips last year. Just less than half of travelers expect to spend $1,000 or more for their travel plans, compared to just 34% of travelers at this time last year. These travelers are looking to stretch their budgets further this year to get more Spring Break bang for their buck! 

Spring break is approaching quickly but 77% of travelers say they have not booked their trips yet! Now is the time to start planning and booking travel for the Spring Break period. 

With travel disruptions on the rise in recent years, many travelers are expressing concern around delays and cancellations impacting their upcoming Spring Break trips. In fact, 50% of Hopper users, predominantly GenZ and millennial travelers, planning to travel for Spring Break are concerned about travel disruptions impacting their travel plans.

When to book your Spring Break trips?

• Planning a domestic trip for Spring Break? – Plan to book your flights 1-2 months in advance and book your hotel stay 10-14 days before check in. That means you should be booking March flights in the next month and April trips between now and mid March for the best prices! For hotel stays in major vacation destinations like Miami Beach, expect to find some hotels sold out as your check in dates approach. If you’re flexible on where you stay, booking 10-14 days before check in (or 24 hrs before check in) will get you the lowest prices. If you have a specific property or room in mind, book 30 days before check in for the best combination of price and availability. 

• Planning an international Spring Break vacation? – Book your flights now and book your hotel stay at least 1 month before check in. If you’re staying at an all-inclusive resort, consider booking now to ensure you get the room and package you’re looking for. 

As always, this is general guidance on when to book. For personalized recommendations on the best time to book your flights, use Hopper’s flight watch feature to get personalized, real time recommendations and updates on the best time to book your specific trip. 

Spring Break Airfare Prices

A whopping 83% of travelers who are taking a spring break trip plan to fly to their destination, and these travelers are in luck! Airfare for vacations in March and April is averaging $256 per round trip domestic ticket, down 2% from this time last year and 11% lower than 2019 prices. Prices for Caribbean and Mexican getaways are down compared to last year, with trips to the Antilles averaging $379, down 9% and trips to Mexico and Central America averaging $447 per ticket, down 11%.For those travelers planning to take a longer haul trip to Europe, fares are 7% lower than last year, averaging $640 per round trip ticket for March and April departures. 

How to hack a weekend trip? Best Weekends: For travelers looking to schedule a spring weekend getaway, traveling over peak March weekends will be the most expensive while early March and late April trips will be the most affordable. The most expensive weekend to get away will be Easter weekend, starting Thursday, March 28th through Easter Monday. Airfare for this weekend is averaging $345 per round trip domestic ticket, compared to fares under $300 per ticket in early March or late April.

Best Departure and Return Dates: Whether taking a 2 night, 3 day vacation for the weekend or extending for a little longer, flying on the right days can save travelers substantially this Spring. For 3 day weekend trips within the US plan to depart Saturday and return Monday to save an average of $38 per ticket.  For longer 4 day weekend trips, plan to depart Friday and return Monday to save just under $50 per ticket. 

How to hack a week-long trip?:

Traveling mid week can save those heading out on a week-long vacation hundreds of dollars this Spring Break season. Trips starting and ending on Tuesday and Wednesday are 29% to 38% cheaper than departing and returning on peak weekend dates. Travelers to the Antilles will save the most traveling mid week, averaging $209 per ticket less expensive to fly Tuesday compared to Saturday. 

Domestic: Starting a week-long vacation mid week can save travelers as much as $150 per round trip domestic ticket on average this spring. Domestic travelers can expect to pay under $250 per ticket for 7 day trips departing on Tuesday or Wednesday, compared to almost $400 per ticket Saturday or Sunday.

Antilles: Starting your week-long vacation mid week will save travelers 36% off airfare to the Antilles, or over $200 per round trip ticket. Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days to start a trip! 

Mexico & Central America: Starting your week-long vacation mid week will save travelers 29% off airfare to the region, or ~$169 per round trip ticket. Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days to start a trip!

Spring Break Accommodations

This spring, 45% of travelers are planning to book hotel accommodations for their trip, though these travelers should expect to see higher prices over peak weekends in top warm weather destinations, as well as in those most popular ski and snowboarding destinations. Those travelers looking for hotel stays are in search of properties that offer free breakfast, with access to a pool or beach and awesome views for spring getaways. 

Across the US the average nightly rate for a hotel during spring break is averaging $242 per night, but prices can be found for as low as $154 per night for those travelers looking for more budget friendly accommodations. Most travelers at this point are looking for 3 night stays though it is still early. 

Though the domestic average nightly is right around $242 per night, stays in top destinations for Spring Break getaways in the Caribbean and Mexico will cost travelers significantly more. Hotel rates in Cancun are averaging $339 per night, while rates in Punta Cana are close to $500 per night. Travelers headed to Europe will see high prices as well, with London averaging $440 per night and Florence $466 per night. 

Across the US the average nightly rate for a hotel during spring break is averaging $242 per night, but prices can be found for as low as $154 per night for those travelers looking for more budget friendly accommodations. Most travelers at this point are looking for 3 night stays though it is still early. 

Though the domestic average nightly is right around $242 per night, stays in top destinations for Spring Break getaways in the Caribbean and Mexico will cost travelers significantly more. Hotel rates in Cancun are averaging $339 per night, while rates in Punta Cana are close to $500 per night. Travelers headed to Europe will see high prices as well, with London averaging $440 per night and Florence $466 per night. 

Skip the Saturday Night Stay

Travelers booking hotel stays for spring break can expect to pay an average 25% or $52 premium to stay on a Saturday night, compared to staying on Sunday. Prices are typically close to or as high as this on Friday nights as well.  If possible, shift weekend dates to skip the Saturday night stay, or to stay Saturday/Sunday instead of Friday/Saturday to reduce the overall cost of your stay. 

Tips for booking your accommodations:

1. Plan ahead: Spring break weekends are very popular for large groups and families in March and April. If you wait to book too close to check in, expect top hotels in major leisure destinations to be sold out. Plan to book stays for international trips or trips to top US leisure cities, like Miami Beach, about a month before check in. 

2. Book 10-14 days before check in: For travelers flexible on where they stay and looking for the best deals, expect to book between 10-14 days before check in to get the best price. If you’re completely flexible on where you stay and the amenities of your hotel, you can usually get the absolute lowest prices by booking within 24 hours of check in, but may run the risk of hotels selling out. 

3. Monitoring prices is key to getting a good deal for your hotel stay! Cities like Las Vegas will see prices fluctuate from day to day. Towards check in prices will swing by as much as $135 per night in the city of lights! Use the Hopper app to favorite the hotels you’re interested in and get notification updates when the price changes. 

4. Consider a staycation! Hotels sometimes offer special rates for locals, called “geofenced rates.” Check out a hotel local to your city or even state and ask if they offer any special rates for locals. 

Car Rentals

Considering a road trip? Planning to pick up a car once you arrive at your spring break destination? You’re in luck! Average rates for rental cars this spring break is $41 per day nationally, down from $45 at this time last year. Most travelers are booking 5 day rentals. For those planning to pack in the highway miles, relief is expected at the pump as gas prices are down around 15% compared to this time last year. 

Prices in some top destinations like Las Vegas and Phoenix are higher for spring break rentals due to the higher demand among these warm weather destinations during the late winter and early spring months. 

Most Booked Destinations

Most booked destinations for Spring Break trips on Hopper! 

Trending Destinations

Destinations trending for 2024 spring break trips (rising in popularity):

Travel Disruption Outlook for Spring Break Travel

Though spring break trips evoke thoughts of beaches, sunshine and great weather, they can also evoke memories of travel disruptions. Last year the spring break travel season did experience a higher than average volume of travel disruptions, with close to 22% of flights disrupted on departure, compared to under 20% for full year 2023. Disruptions can be the result of bad weather and technical malfunctions, as well as traffic jams on the tarmac. With surges of weekend travelers over the spring break period, many of these “snowball effect” delays and cancellations do become more commonplace. 

How to prepare for travel disruptions ahead of your spring break trip? 

1. Protect your trip. Add trip protection like Premium Disruption Assistance available on the Hopper app and other travel providers. If your trip is delayed (by more than a specified period of time, typically 1-2 hours) or canceled on the day of travel, you can instantly rebook a new flight (across all airlines, up to a certain amount), or if you are unhappy with the available rebooking options, get a full refund for your trip. 

2. Book the first flight of the day. Airports experience significantly fewer delays and cancellations at the start of the day, when the tarmac isn’t as crowded and flight schedule changes haven’t started a chain of snowball effect delays. Booking a flight to depart before 8am can drop your chances of being disrupted by 50! It pays to be the early bird. 

3. Download the airline’s app and sign up for notifications. Oftentimes you can track your inbound aircraft and receive real time updates on everything from your gate location to the status of your flight. If there is a disruption, try rebooking yourself through the airline’s app while you’re in line to speak with an agent onsite. 

4. Stick to hand luggage. Checking bags can help you pack a few extra swimsuits for your getaway, but can end up causing more of a headache if you do face a disruption. Only packing carry-on luggage means that if your flight is delayed or canceled, you have total flexibility to hop on the next available flight or check into a hotel with all of your belongings. 

Spring Break Booking Tips:

1. Monitor prices now and book 1-2 months in advance of departure – Use a price monitoring tool like the Hopper app to start monitoring prices for your trip now. Plug in your Spring Break destination and dates and the app will alert you as soon as prices drop and a good deal is detected. Plan to book your flights 1-2 months in advance and book your hotel stay 10-14 days before check in. For March trips, you’ll want to book ASAP. Flight prices are only going to rise as you get closer to the departure date.

2. Protect your trip from delays & cancellations – The last thing you want is to get delayed or canceled and have a late start to your Spring Break trip. XX% of travelers say they are concerned about travel disruptions impacting their Spring Break trips. Protect your Spring travel plans and add Premium Disruption Assistance, available on the Hopper app and other travel providers. If your trip is delayed or canceled on the day of travel, you can instantly rebook a new flight on any airline, or if you are unhappy with the available rebooking options, get a full refund for your trip. 

3. Lock in a good deal if you’re not ready to book – See a good deal but not ready to book? Maybe you need more time to plan with family and friends or need to request PTO. Use Hopper’s Price Freeze feature to lock in a good deal now and book when you’re ready. 

4. Add flexibility in case you change your mind – Take advantage of flexible booking options when purchasing your Spring Break flights. Add Cancel or Change from Any Reason offered on Hopper and other providers to give yourself flexibility if you need to change or cancel your travel plans.

5. Fly midweek to save the most – Select mid-week departure dates to save the most. Leaving on Tuesday or Wednesday could save you more than 30% off your total airfare. If you can be flexible, depart and return mid-week to shave over $150 off your round-trip price.

Deals Still Available for Spring Break 2024

Deals you can book now on the Hopper app! (Sampling)

• Boston to Myrtle Beach – as low as $72 round-trip on Hopper

• Boston to San Juan, Puerto Rico – as low as $180 round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago to St. Thomas – as low as $180 round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago to Miami – as low as $78 round-trip on Hopper

• Chicago to Cancun – as low as $190 round-trip on Hopper

• Dallas to Orlando – as low as $87 round-trip on Hopper 

• Dallas to Aruba – as low as $292 round-trip on Hopper

• LA to Salt Lake City – as low as $70 round-trip on Hopper

• LA to St. Maarten – as low as $311 round-trip on Hopper

• LA to Cancun – as low as $230 round-trip on Hopper

• NYC to Charleston – as low as $50 round-trip on Hopper

• NYC to Miami – as low as $72 round-trip on Hopper

• NYC to Fort Lauderdale – as low as $72 round-trip on Hopper

• NYC to San Juan Puerto Rico – as low as $150 round-trip on Hopper

• NYC to St. Thomas – as low as $174 round-trip on Hopper

• NYC to Dominican Republic – as low as $250 round-trip