Hopper’s Exclusive Summer Getaway Guide

Hopper’s Top  Money Saving Tips for Weekend Getaways

1. Avoid the summer rush and book your weekend getaways for late August to save an average of $118 off domestic airfare, and depart on a Wednesday (if you’re flexible!) to save an additional $34 off peak weekend prices. 

2. Getaways in late August can also help you save $100 or more on hotels, and check in earlier in the week to save even more on your weekend away. Starting your getaway on Thursday can save travelers an average of 10% ($19) for a one night stay, or 14% ($60) off a two night stay!  

3. Willing to try something new? Consider alternate destinations and save $600, or more, on your trip! Trading in longer haul international trips, which average >$900 round trip, for closer domestic destinations can save travelers an average of $500 per ticket. 

4. Use Hopper to help plan a last minute weekend getaway without breaking the bank!

Memorial Day weekend marks the return of the summer travel season this year, with millions of travelers ready to enjoy leisure vacations across the US and the world. This year, travelers are planning shorter trips, averaging 7.5 days, compared to 10 days in 2019. As these shorter trips become more popular, booking demand for weekend getaways has risen dramatically (+32%) as travelers look to getaway, some for the first time since 2019!

[1] Travel in August to save $118 or more on airfare

With airfare and gas prices rising this summer, American travelers are looking for good deals for weekend getaways. Airfare for summer 2022 weekend getaways will average $367 for domestic travelers, up more than 13% compared to weekends in 2019.  

Destinations offering a combination of big city and beach, like Miami and Los Angeles, top Hopper’s list of the most booked domestic weekend destinations for this summer. Cities with access to national parks like Denver, Phoenix and Seattle, also top the list as Americans head outdoors this summer. For travelers flying internationally, destinations in Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean top the list of most booked destinations. 

Domestic airfare for weekend getaways will be lowest for departures in August ($326 round trip) and September ($317 round trip), with prices more than 16% lower than peak July airfares. Though prices have risen across all weekends this summer compared to 2019, fares have risen the least for August. 

Average good deal domestic airfare for weekend getaway departures in each month, compared to the same weekends in 2019. The most expensive weekend to travel this summer will be the 4th of July Weekend, with airfare rising to $412 on average for a round trip domestic ticket. The cheapest weekends to fly this weekend will be the last two weekends of August, offering an average of $118 off peak July prices, or about 29% savings. 

Average good deal domestic airfare for weekend getaway departures by week in 2022.

…& depart on a Wednesday or Saturday to save $35 on airfare.

Most travelers depart for weekend getaways on Thursday or Friday, which means deals are often available for midweek departures. For non-holiday weekends, departing on a Wednesday for a getaway will save travelers 10% or ~$34 off peak Friday prices. Airfare for Saturday departures will save travelers about 2% off peak Friday departures. 

Round trip good deal  domestic airfare by departure day of week for summer 2022 weekend getaways excluding 4th of July and Labor Day weekends.

Americans traveling over holiday weekends can find significant savings off peak prices if they fly on Wednesday or Saturday. Over the 4th of July weekend, departing earlier in the week on Wednesday can save travelers 15% off peak Friday airfare, or ~$63 per ticket. Flying Saturday of the same weekend can save travelers 7.4% or $31 per ticket. For Labor Day travelers, flying on Wednesday will save ~18% off peak prices, about $67 per ticket. Saturday departures will save travelers ~17% off peak Friday prices. 

Round trip good deal domestic airfare by departure day of week for summer 2022 weekend getaways over 4th of July and Labor Day weekends. 

[2] Book long weekend hotel stays for late August to save ~$100… or more

Long weekend getaways will cost Americans ~$200 per night stay on average, but expect to pay about 5%-10% more to stay over a holiday weekend like the 4th of July or Labor Day. Booking hotel stays for late August can save travelers as much as $33 per night (or almost $100 for the long weekend!) compared to booking over a peak weekend. 

Average daily rate for hotels in the US based on 3 night stays over the weekend for summer 2022.

…and check in earlier in the week to save as much as $60 per night on your hotel stay.

Hotel rates are typically higher for Friday and Saturday nights, so checking into hotels earlier in the week can help travelers save big on hotel rates for a weekend away. Shifting a getaway to start on Thursday can save travelers an average of 10% ($19) for a one night stay, or 14% ($60) off a two night stay!  

Average daily rate for hotels in the US based on check in day of week for summer 2022 weekend check in dates. 

[3] Consider an alternate destination and save as much as $600 on your trip…or more! 

Airfare and hotel rates have risen this year as tremendous pent up demand from the last two summers is unleashed. Despite higher prices this year, there are great deals available for travelers who are flexible on where they go.

Airfare: Trading in longer haul international trips, which average >$900 round trip, for closer domestic destinations can save travelers an average of $500 per ticket. Still hoping to dust off that passport this summer? Check out destinations in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, where airfares are still ~$300 - $400 less expensive than long haul flights to Europe or Asia! 

Hotel Stays: Hotel prices in large cities like New York and Las Vegas typically drop for last minute bookers. If you’re planning a getaway this summer and haven’t booked your hotel, you’re more likely to get a great deal staying in a major city, where prices drop closer to your check in date. Primarily leisure destinations like the beaches of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, or the theme parks in Orlando will see prices rise steadily beginning 3-4 months ahead of check in. 

Flight & Hotel Stay: Flexibility when choosing a destination within the US is also key, with some destinations offering both lower airfare and lower hotel prices. Head to one of these top destinations for a weekend away and save as much as $600 on your whole trip, airfare and hotel stay included!

[4] Use Hopper to help plan a last minute weekend getaway without breaking the bank

• Airfare can rise dramatically in the last two weeks ahead of departure. For example, we typically see prices increase as much as 50% in the last two weeks ahead of a holiday weekend. Use a price monitoring tool like Hopper to track prices for you, so you’re proactively notified when it’s time to book. Tracking prices ahead of your trip and booking at the right time will help you get the best deals. 

• If plans aren’t finalized but you see a great flight deal, book with Hopper’s Cancel for Any Reason Plan. If plans change, or you decide not to take your weekend trip, cancel right in the app up until check-in - you’ll get 100% of your room cost back!

• Looking for last-minute hotel deals? Make it a staycation! Hotels will often offer special geofenced lower prices or special promotions to locals who stay! 

• See a great hotel or flight deal but not ready to book? Hold the price of your flight or hotel with Hopper’s Price Freeze, then come back to book later without worrying about missing out on a great deal. This is a great way to capitalize on any last minute price drops, while giving yourself time to finalize plans.

Methodology

The data utilized for this study comes from Hopper's real-time "shadow traffic" containing the results of consumer airfare searches. Hopper collects, from several Global Distribution System partners, 25 to 30 billion airfare price quotes every day from searches happening all across the web. The prices reflected in this analysis are Hopper’s “good deal price” which represents what a typical leisure traveler should expect to pay, measured using a “tenth percentile.”