This summer, travelers have been hit with expensive airfares that have prevented many would-be tourists from booking dream vacations abroad.
The bad news for budget travelers is that airline prices don’t seem to be going down anytime soon. In fact, average airfares were 26% more expensive year-over-year in July, according to airfare deal site Going.com. “The unfortunate truth about our current state of airfare is that with strong demand, airlines are in the best position to command a higher price tag,” Going says.
If you’ve felt priced out of a vacation to a glamorous destination this summer, it could still be possible to book an affordable getaway with plenty of wow factor, as long as you’re willing to look for a destination dupe.
Travelers have been embracing destination dupes, or locales that offer the same draws as a bigger destination but aren’t as popular with tourists, as a way to cut vacation costs in 2026.
Here’s a look at three destination dupes across North America that can stand in for popular cities in Europe and the Pacific, but still have affordable airfares and hotel rates.
Montreal for Paris
Dust off that high school French with a visit to Montreal. The francophone Quebecois city stacks up to Paris with its diverse architecture, cultural attractions and thriving food scene. Boulangerie Jarry, for example, churns out chewy baguettes, and Patisserie Madeleine has perfected the art of French pastries with an unconventional twist, like cheese and miso croissants.
Stroll through pedestrian areas Prince-Arthur Street and Square Saint-Louis, with their outdoor cafés and historic 19th-century homes. The dome at Mary Queen of the World Cathedral, designed as a replica of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, arcs toward the heavens, and the Museum of Fine Arts houses Impressionist and early Modern masterpieces by Pissarro, Renoir, Cezanne and more.
Airfares start at about $260 roundtrip from New York, about $300 from Chicago, and $450 from Dallas. A favorable exchange rate will also help pad U.S. travelers’ budgets: $1 USD equals about $1.40 CAD, increasing Americans' purchasing power.
Puerto Rico for Honolulu
Travelers who trade Honolulu for Puerto Rico’s vibrant island culture and white-sand beaches can save 40% on hotel costs, according to data from Expedia.
Average summer hotel rates in Puerto Rico are about $195 per night, and roundtrip airfare can be well below $300, depending on the city of origin. Flights in August to Puerto Rico from Miami and Chicago are available for as low as $160, from Charlotte as low as $250, and from New York starting at about $270.
Like Hawai'i, Puerto Rico is a tropical island that’s accessible to U.S. travelers with no passport required. There’s no shortage of beachfront activities or adventures through Puerto Rico’s interior. Explore San Juan’s San Felipe del Moro castle and stop in the Casa Bicardi distillery for a tour and rum tasting. On the east coast, hike to thundering waterfalls at Charco el Hippie in Naguabo. Then head west to the surf town of Isabela for relaxing beaches, beginner-level surf breaks, and fresh seafood options on the water.
Whidbey Island for Coastal Denmark
Denmark is famous for its hundreds of islands that offer Nordic summer escapes to dramatic sea cliffs, dense forests, and low-lying beaches. The Pacific Northwest has similar rugged landscapes on dozens of islands scattered across the Puget Sound. So if a summer sojourn to a Danish isle has been on your travel to-do list, you might consider Whidbey Island off the coast of Seattle as an affordable dupe.
Nonstop flights to Seattle are as low as $128 roundtrip from Denver, $144 from Los Angeles, and $255 from Washington D.C. From there, it’s about an hour ferry ride until you’re immersed in old-growth forests of Douglas firs and western red cedar trees, glacier-carved bluffs, and swirling tide pools.
Hikers who follow the easy trails at Fort Ebey and South Whidbey state parks are rewarded with views of the Olympic Mountains. While away the afternoon at one of the island’s numerous top-notch vineyards before retiring to a whimsical local inn like Captain Whidbey.
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