2024 Summer Travel Outlook

Summer is right around the corner and travelers are planning their getaways already. Though 87% of Hopper users expect to travel this summer almost ¾ have not yet booked their trip! 

Most travelers are keeping their travel budgets the same this year, or spending more, even as economic concerns continue to impact Americans. 75% of Hopper users plan to spend the same or more on travel this summer and 51% expect to take more trips!

Now is the time to plan, and book summer travel to get the best prices. About 1 in 4 travelers aren’t sure where they’ll go for their summer trip, and some aren’t sure when! We’ve rounded up the most important tips and tricks to help travelers get the best deals. 

Airfare

Domestic Airfare for Summer

94% of Hopper users traveling this summer plan to book a flight for their trip, and these travelers are in luck! Domestic airfare for summer months, June, July and August is averaging $305 per ticket, down 6% from this time last year. This summer marks the first year since 2020 where prices have dropped compared to the previous year!  Prices this summer are expected to peak around $315 per ticket at the end of May and early June. 

Departures the weekend before 4th of July week are the most expensive all summer, with families likely taking advantage of the mid-week holiday for their summer breaks. Prices for flights departing the weekend before the holiday are as much as 40% higher than cheaper summer weekends. Airfare also spikes for departures ahead of Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. 

International Airfare for Summer

Airfare to Europe, the most popular destination for international trips in summer, has dropped 8% compared to this time last year, but remains 15% higher than at this time in 2019. Demand for travel to Europe has expanded this year, capturing more searches from US travelers than at this time last year. 

Prices to Asia remain inflated as capacity continues to recover on transpacific routes. Airfare to Asia this summer is averaging 45% higher than at this time in 2019. As Asia is the second most popular region of the world for American tourists, high prices continue to impact a significant portion of travelers, and are impacting demand. 

Africa and the Mideast have seen a surge in demand compared to last year as travelers begin to look to the region for more trips this summer than in previous years. Prices to this region remain higher than last year and 2019, and are as expensive as trips to Asia or Oceania. 

Accommodations

Hotel Prices

Travelers are looking to get away this summer and 61% expect to book at least one hotel stay while they’re vacationing and 40% expect to book a vacation or rental home. Hotel stays for summer are currently averaging $240 per night during June, July and August. Travelers will pay a premium to stay over the weekend, with rates for Friday and Saturday night averaging 20% higher than rates early in the week. This premium will skyrocket over holiday weekends like Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day. 

Flexible travelers can save 15% off their nightly rate by staying over less expensive weeks or weekends this summer. Mid June and mid August offer the most deals for flexible travelers!

Travelers will pay a premium to stay in New York and Chicago this summer, two of the highest demand cities on the Hopper app for summer stays. Prices in Las Vegas and Orlando are much more affordable, averaging $50 less per night than the national average. 

Destinations around the world are in demand for travelers looking for accommodations this summer. Cities as far as London, Tokyo and Rome are seeing high interest from American travelers, as well as old favorites like Cancun. 

Vacation Rental Prices

With 40% of summer travelers expecting to book at least one home rental, prices for entire homes are increasingly important to the travel planning process. The average nightly rate for a home in the US is $182 per bedroom per night, or about $387 per night (with most travelers looking at homes with multiple bedrooms). Top markets for summer rentals are all warm weather destinations, most with access to beaches. Miami, Los Angeles, Panama City Beach and Myrtle Beach all offer private home rentals close to the water or pools, while Orlando offers home rentals to families checking out Disney, or picking up a Cruise from Port of Orlando. 

Rental Cars

Road tripping this summer? You’re not alone! One in five Hopper users traveling this summer are planning to rent a car, and they’re in luck. Rental car prices in the US are averaging $46 per day, in line with prices at this time last year. Orlando, Los Angeles and Los Vegas are currently ranking the highest demand cities for rental car pick ups for summer, followed by Miami and Tampa. 

It’s no surprise, prices are highest in Alaska where a daily rental rate averages close to $100 per day as tourists flock to the great northern state during the summer months. Rentals in Florida are inexpensive this summer, averaging $20 per day or less in top cities like Orlando, Miami, Tampa, West Palm Beach and more.

Trending Destinations for Summer

Domestic travelers this summer are looking to a wide range of newer destinations! Lihue and Nantucket offer the small island getaway experience (and prices!), though offering vastly different temperatures and climates even during summer. Oregon, Alaska and Colorado offer access to the great outdoors- trips that are most popular during the mild, sunnier summer months. 

International trending destinations include a wide range of experiences. Nice, France tops the ranking, offering the gorgeous French Riviera experience in summer, while nearby Zurich and Istanbul also take top spots among international destinations. Japan continues to make the top rankings with Osaka trending 2nd highest this summer. Osaka is not just trending among younger, solo travelers, but also among families taking longer haul trips with children. With easy access to Banff national park, it’s no surprise that Calgary also makes the trending destinations top list, as American travelers continue to look for vacations to National Parks in the US and abroad. 

Best Deal Destinations for Summer

If you’re planning a trip this summer, now is the sweet spot to score the best deals as prices are expected to rise in the coming weeks. According to our latest data, 26% of Hopper travelers aren’t sure where they are going to go this summer, which means they can plan their trips around the best deals! 

Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale

On top of it being the best time to book, to sweeten the deal, Hopper is running a 3-day sales event from May 8-10th with exclusive hotel discounts in some of the top summer destinations. How to take advantage of the deals? Download the Hopper app and preview the destinations that will be discounted.

Travelers can score discounts up to 50% off hotels in dozens of popular domestic & international summer vacation destinations including Orlando, Miami, Nashville, London, Paris, Prague, Rome and more.

Summer Deals Still Available to Book:

Domestic:

• Dallas to Denver, Colorado for as low as $48 round-trip (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Chicago to Miami, Florida for as low as $50 round-trip (additional 15% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Chicago, Illinois to Nashville, Tennessee for as low as $60 round-trip (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• New York City to Nashville, Tennessee for as low as $61 round-trip (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Chicago to Washington D.C. for as low as $72 round-trip (additional 25% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Boston, Massachusetts to Orlando, Florida for as low as $87 round-trip (additional 10% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

International:

• New York City, New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico for as low as $150 round-trip (additional 15% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• New York City, New York to Medellin, Colombia for as low as $262 round-trip (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Boston, Massachusetts to Cancun, Mexico for as low as $280 round-trip (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Chicago, Illinois to Prague, Czech Republic for as low as $524 round-trip (additional 50% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• New York City, New York to Paris, France for as low as $532 round-trip (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Dallas, Texas to Paris, France for as low as $572 round-trip (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Chicago, Illinois to Rome, Italy for as low as $575 round-trip (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• San Francisco, California to London, United Kingdom for as low as $617 round trip ticket (additional 30% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

• Dallas, Texas to Sydney, Australia for as low as $1,088 round trip ticket (additional 50% off hotels when you book during Hopper’s Summer Travel Sale)

Summer Travel Tips:

• Book ASAP! - If you haven’t booked summer plans yet, you’ll want to do so as soon as possible. Prices are expected to rise in the coming weeks. Now is the sweet spot for getting a good deal. In general, we recommend domestic travelers book 2-3 months in advance for the best prices and availability. For international travelers, we recommend booking 3-5 months ahead of departure date.

• If you’re not ready to book, freeze a price - If you see a good deal but you need more time to plan, take advantage of tools like Hopper’s Price Freeze, which for a small fee allows you to lock in a low price when you see one and book at a later date.

• Fly mid-week - Travelers who fly in the middle of the week (Tuesday or Wednesday) can save an average of 18% or $51 per ticket on domestic airfare.

• Consider the fall “Shoulder Season” instead - For those who are eyeing international destinations this summer but may be experiencing some sticker shock, we recommend considering the fall shoulder season instead as you can find some great deals, particularly to Europe, in September. You can save as much as 30% off peak summer prices just by traveling in September versus peak summer months, like July and August!

• Take advantage of re-booking services - Delays and cancellations can ruin a vacation and are more common in the summer than any other time of the year. We recommend adding re-booking services, like Premium Disruption Assistance offered on Hopper and other travel providers. If your trip is delayed by a set amount of time or canceled on the day of travel, you can instantly rebook a new flight on any airline and Hopper covers the cost up to a set amount; or if you are unhappy with the available rebooking options, get a full refund for your trip. This product is available on the Hopper app and on our participating airline partner websites.

• Book the first flight of the day - Getting out first thing is the safest bet, if you want to avoid delays and cancellations. Flights departing after 9am are 2X more likely to be delayed than departures scheduled between 5-8am. To avoid travel disruption, fly as early in the morning as possible – especially during the busy summer months.

• Avoid peak weekends & holiday weeks - If you’re looking to score a good deal, steer clear of holiday weekends like Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day, which will be the most expensive summer dates. Flexible travelers can save 15% off their nightly rate by staying over less expensive weeks or weekends this summer. Mid-June and mid-August offer the most deals for flexible travelers!