Key Takeaways
- Midweek getaways are the best option for budget-conscious travelers, according to travel website Hopper.
- Flights are expected to get progressively more expensive throughout March, with prices for spring travel peaking around Easter and Passover in mid-April.
- The company recommends booking domestic flights a few weeks ahead of a trip, while hotels are typically at their best value about two weeks ahead of check-in.
With an estimated one-third of Americans planning a spring break getaway, avoiding the typical travel schedule could lead to hundreds of dollars in savings.
According to new data from the online travel booking platform Hopper, reserving domestic flights that depart in the middle of the week—specifically on Tuesday and Wednesday—can be up to 39%, or $172, cheaper than weekend flights.
Checking into a hotel is also the cheapest midweek, as nightly rates jump an average of 22% on Fridays and Saturdays—and even more in warmer destinations, according to Hopper’s research.
Cheapest Flights, Check-In Times in Middle of the Week
Hopper recommends vacationers with some flexibility travel sooner rather than later. Flights are least expensive in the last weeks of February, with airfares increasing steadily throughout March and peaking around Easter and Passover in April.
As for when to buy those tickets, Hopper said domestic flights in March should be booked in the next couple of weeks to get the best price. April flights should be booked in the next 3-6 weeks, except for Easter weekend trips, which Hopper suggests booking as soon as possible. The company also said hotels are often at their best price 10-14 days from check-in.
For international travel, Hopper recommends booking flights as soon as possible and says hotels are often at their cheapest just two to four days ahead of check-in.
Travelers Looking to Warmer Destinations
According to Hopper, users of the app are, like usual, looking to travel to warmer destinations this spring. Three of the five most-watched domestic destinations are in Florida, with Las Vegas and Phoenix rounding out the top five. Countries like Mexico and Jamaica are among the most popular international destinations this year.
Domestic flights and trips to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America are about 3% more expensive than last year, while tickets to less conventional spring break destinations are cheaper. Airfares to Canada and Asia, for example, are down 5% and 12%, respectively.
