Groundhog Day may have signaled a longer winter, but spring break is just around the corner to offer travelers an escape to warmer weather.
This year, travelers are seeking out a fresh take on spring break. They’re checking out new international destinations beyond the usual Mexico and Caribbean.
At the same time, costs are higher than last year. Travelers can expect to pay about 4% more compared with last year, Hayley Berg, lead economist at Hopper, told USA TODAY.
“I know the 4% increase sounds intimidating … but it’s very much in line historically with where we were before the pandemic,” Berg said. On the plus side, round-trip domestic airfare is under $300 on average, and there are still some great deals out there for those who haven’t finalized their plans.
“The biggest thing with spring break is really flexibility, and follow the deal not the destination,” Berg said. “That’s where you’re going to get the most bang for your buck.”
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Here’s everything travelers need to know about spring break travel 2025.
“If you can do one thing, do not travel between Passover and Easter weekend,” Berg said. “This is a big vacation week for schools in the U.S.” With travel demand peaking from April 13 to 20, airfare prices are surging 33% compared with the first two weekends of March, according to Hopper’s 2025 Spring Break Travel Outlook.
Other peak travel dates include the last two weekends of March and Mother’s Day weekend on May 9-11, according to Expedia’s Spring Travel Outlook. For the most part, late March through Early April will be the most expensive due to the high demand, Melanie Fish, vice president of global public relations for Expedia Brands, told USA TODAY in an email.
To avoid crowds and high prices, consider traveling in the last week of April or the first week of May. Domestic flights during this period can save you up to $55, and international flights in the last week of April are typically $155 cheaper.
◾ Spring break travel hack: If your only option is to travel during that high-demand holiday week, try to finesse a little bit of flexibility, like departing on a Tuesday and returning on a Wednesday, to avoid those hefty weekend prices. “You could save upwards of $175 just by shifting your dates to be weekday departures,” Berg said.
It depends on where you’re going. If you’re planning to travel internationally, you should book ASAP; prices are only expected to rise.
If you can afford some flexibility in your travel dates, there are still cheap flights to the perennial spring break destinations like Florida and the Caribbean in April, although you should book within the next two weeks. Airfare is about $275 to Orlando and $431 to Cancun, according to Hopper.
Take a quick scan on Hopper or Expedia’s Flight Deals feature to browse a few warm-weather destinations with low airfare.
◾ Spring break travel hack: If you’re looking for a weekend getaway, depart early on Saturday morning and return on Tuesday to save up to 25% on airfare.
While destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean – Cancun, San Juan, Punta Cana and Montego Bay – are popular as usual, some emerging destinations are popping up this spring, especially where the U.S. dollar is strong. Rio de Janeiro, Curacao, Tokyo, Osaka and Istanbul are some of the fastest-growing destinations, according to Expedia.
Speaking of Japan – whose cherry blossoms draw in thousands of visitors during spring – travelers can save up 13% on airfare this year compared with last, Berg said. “It has to be the first time ever a long-haul flight away from the U.S. has shown up as a destination for spring break,” she said. “For a lot of Gen Z and millennials, Tokyo has just captured their imaginations.”
◾ Spring break travel hack: Wave season is also still going on – typically until the end of March – so travelers can save money on cruise packages with some of the major cruise lines, including discounts, onboard credits or free upgrades.
Here are some affordable flights for spring break 2025, according to Hopper:
