Top International Destinations Trending for Christmas 2020

Hopper recently released its 2020 Holiday Guidance Report, revealing that annual price drops on airfare will be compounded by lower demand for leisure travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with holiday airfare expected to drop between 10 percent and 30 percent for international travel. With many places having reopened to Americans, the report also highlighted the hottest Christmas destinations abroad where travelers can save considerably this winter compared to last year.

Belize is heating up two months after reopening to tourism. Flights have resumed from several U.S. cities, including Miami and Houston. In addition to testing for COVID-19, visitors will need to book a certified hotel stay and download and register with the Belize Health App.

Tourist-friendly Cancun offers international travelers some of the biggest savings this holiday season. According to Hopper's research, Christmas vacationers stand to save nearly 50 percent on roundtrip airfare ($364) compared to the same time last year. Cancun was also the third-most-popular international destination for Thanksgiving this year, Hopper found.

Elsewhere in the Caribbean, Montego Bay has also emerged as an appealing Christmas destination. In addition to enhanced protocols for visitors, Jamaica is keeping tourism alive in the time of coronavirus thanks to resilient corridors and its travel insurance plan Jamaica Cares.

With an average temperature of 72 degrees, it's no wonder that many travelers have their sights set on Costa Rica this winter. The coveted Central American country recently began welcoming all U.S. residents and eliminated coronavirus testing requirements. Visitors should keep in mind that they'll still need to fill out a Health Pass questionnaire and show proof of medical insurance.

Brazil reopened to tourism this past summer but remains at a Level 4 on the U.S. State Department's Travel Advisory scale due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, those visiting Sao Paulo this Christmas could save as much as 46 percent compared to last year's holiday, according to Hopper.

Visiting Colombia got a bit easier earlier this month when the country did away with its COVID-19 testing requirement. According to Hopper, Christmas travelers could save more than one-third (36 percent) on travel to Medellin compared to the same time last year.

The Dominican Republic as a whole is garnering quite a bit of interest this holiday season in part because it's so accessible. The country, which was recently downgraded to a Level 3 travel advisory (reconsider travel) by the State Department, has eliminated the requirement for a negative COVID-19 test result prior to arrival, instead implementing rapid random testing on a small percentage of arriving travelers.

It's unsurprising that the City of Lights is among the most popular international destinations this Christmas and Hopper predicts travelers could save about 14 percent on airfare compared to last year. Unfortunately, Paris and much of Europe remain off-limits to Americans for non-essential travel this winter.

A U.S. territory that doesn't require Americans to have a passport, Puerto Rico will prove more challenging to visit this Christmas as travelers must complete a Travel Declaration Form and get a molecular COVID-19 test (nasal or throat swab) no more than 72 hours prior to arrival. Hopper reports that visitors could save as much as 40 percent compared to Christmas 2019.

Hopper found Mexico City to be the top international destination trending for Christmas 2020, highlighting significant savings to be had this year compared to 2019 (31 percent). It also helps that the Mexican capital, which is renowned for its history and culture, is a relatively short flight from many major American cities.