We could all use a break.
It has been a long, harsh winter, and some Vitamin D (or maybe even some Vitamin Sea? Sorry …) would be particularly therapeutic. So I’m here to remind you that if your time allows, it’s not too late to book a spring break escape.
Just last week, Going airfare price alerts hit my inbox with a February $363 round trip to Jamaica from D.C., and a February trip from D.C. to the U.S. Virgin Islands for $200.
Is it a fluke? Not necessarily. Lousson Smith, a flight expert with Going, said the company has been seeing strong spring deals to domestic destinations, including New Orleans; Charleston, South Carolina; Key West, Florida; the Pacific Northwest; Denver; Las Vegas; and Puerto Rico. Internationally, deals to Northern Europe, Colombia and Iceland have been available. According to Going data, spring break airfare for domestic travel is down 4 percent year over year, while international fares are about a percent lower.
Christina Bennett, a spokesperson and trends expert for Priceline, said the company has seen spring break airfare running cheaper than last year, with domestic round trips averaging around $340 and international round trips around $703.
Lourdes Losada, Americas director at Skyscanner, said the more flexible you are with your dates, the better luck you’ll have finding affordable flights. But if you see a good fare now, take it. Your best bet for finding a bargain is to act fast — as we’re already in the “Goldilocks window” for finding good airfare on spring break flights — and stay flexible.
Another tip: pop open Google Flights, add your departure airport, and keep the “Where to” and date boxes blank, then hit “Explore.” You’ll be able to browse the best airfare on one-week or weekend itineraries in the month of your choosing, so you can find the steals hiding in plain sight. I did a test search last week and found a nonstop, round-trip flight from D.C. to Cancún in February for $225. (You can also narrow your search to specific dates.)
But before you book, Losada warns, check on accommodation prices for those dates. Just because the flights are cheap doesn’t mean your accommodations will be. “Popular destinations like Las Vegas, for example, have conventions and big events year-round,” she said in an email, “so it’s worth checking to see if anything is going on nearby that might drive up hotel prices or cause them to book up quickly.”
Where are you most likely to find a deal? Here are six strong bets.
Florida
No surprise here. Florida is one of the best bang-for-your-buck destinations when it comes to flight prices, both during spring break and year-round. With a quick Google Flights search, we found round-trip airfare for week-long trips to Orlando and Miami for under $100 in March from such major cities as Dallas, D.C., Chicago and New York.
But there’s a catch. According to Hotels.com data, searches for Florida hotels spike this time of year, and hotel prices surge accordingly. For example, Orlando hotels spike to an average of $265 per night, St. Petersburg to $505 per night and Miami to $430 per night.
Mexico
No matter what part of the country you’re departing from, you should be able to find decent airfare to Mexico this spring. Expedia data shows that future World Cup host city Guadalajara is a top contender, with average spring flight prices of $327. Other deal hubs include Cabo San Lucas, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos. Cancún, on the other hand, may be a no-go for hotel prices; Expedia says average nightly rates spike to $480 this time of year.
Colombia
Colombia is one of the most reliable international destinations for finding flight deals year-round. And this year, Expedia has flagged it as one of the cheapest international destinations for spring break, with flight prices to such cities as Bogotá and Medellín averaging under $400. According to Kayak, you can expect average Bogotá hotel prices to hover around $130 from February to March and under $50 in Medellín.
Portugal
Don’t save Portugal for summer, when crowds and prices are at their worst. You can catch some sun even on a spring trip, although it’s still chilly in February and March, with average Lisbon temperatures peaking in the 60s. Prices are appealing, too. Skyscanner has spotted March deals on flights from Dallas and Atlanta to Lisbon for under $300. And, according to Kayak, average hotel prices in the country range from $170 to $208 from February to April (and peak from July through September closer to $300).
Cruises
With meals often included in your fare, cruises can be a compelling option for budget-conscious spring breakers, said Royal Ahmadi, senior vice president of the Vacation Group, which specializes in cruise travel.
“Cruise lines still have limited cabin inventory for February and March sailings, and to fill those final cabins they’re dropping prices,” Ahmadi said in an email. “That said, these rates are designed to sell fast, and availability is very limited.”
Some recent deals Ahmadi has spotted: a four-day Norwegian Cruise Line cruise departingfrom Tampa on Feb. 26 that starts at $279 per person; a seven-day Western Caribbean Celebrity Summit cruise departing from Fort Lauderdale on March 29 that starts at $622 per person; and a three-night Baja Mexico cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seasleaving Los Angeles on Feb. 24 that starts at $281 per person.
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