Spring Break Travel Demand Is Surging Despite Soaring Prices

With the past few years filled with obstacles to travel, families with school-age kids who are craving some fun time together and college students looking to party are definitely keen to get away during this year's spring break season.

Of course, today's record inflation rates have forced many U.S. homes to rein in their budgets, but it seems that's not deterring Americans from their springtime travel plans. According to a new report from comparison and booking app Hopper, 60 percent expect to spend $500 or more on their spring break escapes this year, while 33 percent anticipate spending over $1,000.

While many Americans are obviously keen to get away, the research found that 82 percent have yet to book their spring break trips. So, if you're still hoping to keep costs as low as possible (isn't everyone?) you'll need to act fast. Hopper's pricing experts say that, in order to score a good deal on trips for April, you need to book by the end of February.

Hopper's team analyzed its historical archive of trillions of airfare and hotel prices to offer travelers an idea of what spring break travel will look like this year, as well as share top savings strategies for getting away without breaking the bank.

Below are some key findings from Hopper's report, but you can view its full Spring Break Travel Outlook guide for tips on finding the best deals this season and special offers available through the Hopper app.

Surging Spring Break Demand

U.S. consumer demand for spring break travel remains astonishingly strong in the face of recession concerns and record economic inflation. People are prioritizing their getaways, despite airfare prices averaging between 10 and 30 percent higher than in pre-pandemic years.

This year, Hopper has seen a 25 percent surge in demand for spring break travel dates for trips to tropical islands in the Caribbean, and beachfront destinations in Mexico and Central America.

Most-Booked Destinations

Domestic: 1) Las Vegas, Nevada 2) Orlando, Florida 3) Phoenix, Arizona 4) Los Angeles, California 5) Miami, Florida

International: 1) Cancun, Mexico 2) San Juan, Puerto Rico 3) Punta Cana, Dominican Republic 4) London, United Kingdom 5) San Jose del Cabo, Mexico

Trending Destinations

These destinations are seeing an increase in popularity this year when compared to previous spring break seasons. The domestic list contains none of the beachy areas typically associated with spring breakers, with a couple of smaller cities leading the way, followed by a few major metropolises.

Domestic: 1) Everett, Washington 2) Burbank, California 3) Chicago, Illinois 4) Houston, Texas 5) New York City, New York

When it comes to international travel, Asian destinations are topping the trend charts; which isn't too surprising, considering that many Asian countries reopened fully to tourism only recently in the wake of the pandemic.

International: 1) Hong Kong, China 2) Shanghai, China 3) Jakarta, Indonesia 4) Osaka, Japan 5) Singapore, Singapore

Spring Break Pricing

Flights: Irrepressibly high demand means that domestic airfare prices for March and April flights have risen to an average of $264 per round-trip ticket, a 20-percent increase compared to last year and a five-percent increase over pre-pandemic times.

Hotels: Spring break hotel stays are currently averaging $316 per night, an increase of 64 percent over last year.

Rental Homes: Short-term rental homes in top markets like New York City, Atlanta and Tampa are averaging under $300 per night for Spring break dates.

Cars: Car rentals are expected to cost an average of $56 per day this spring break season.

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