Spring Break Airfare Prices Still Down From 2019, but Rising Soon

According to new research from airfare tracker app Hopper, Americans looking to fly domestically over Spring Break could count themselves lucky this year. The company’s 2022 Spring Break Travel Report shows that airfare costs for flights within the U.S. during the Spring Break season are still down by six percent overall from the same period in 2019.

But, prospective travelers should probably get on top of booking trips soon, since Hopper anticipates airfares will rise 45 percent between now and the week before Spring Break. To arrive at this forecast, Hopper’s team of experts analyzed its historical archive of flight and hotel prices, numbering in the billions, combined with a real-time feed of current airfare pricing.

Below are some of the highlights of Hopper’s findings.

Spring Break Airfare Pricing
— Travelers can expect round-trip domestic flights departing in mid-March to cost $290 on average, which is still six percent lower than the same period in 2019 ($310 round-trip), but 21 percent higher than last year ($240 round-trip).

— Those traveling abroad anticipate spending an average of $690 on round-trip airfare, 14 percent less than in 2019 ($800 round-trip) and roughly equivalent to 2021 ($680 round-trip).

When Should You Book?
— Hopper recommends booking at least three weeks in advance if you hope to catch good deals on domestic airfare costs, as they’re predicted to rise by 45 percent between now and the week of departure.

— For international tickets, Hopper recommends booking at least three to four weeks in advance in order to avoid last-minute price hikes. Round-trip prices are expected to rise from the current average of $610 to $800 the week prior to a flight’s departure.

Where Are People Going?
Below are the top 10 most-booked flight destinations within the U.S. for Spring Break 2022, along with a price that would be considered a good deal when booking airfare.

1. Miami, Florida – $193

2. Las Vegas, Nevada – $252

3. Orlando, Florida – $222

4. Fort Lauderdale, Florida – $190

5. Los Angeles, California – $229

6. New York City, New York – $185

7. Phoenix, Arizona – $312

8. Denver, Colorado – $$241

9. Chicago, Illinois – $201

10. Tampa, Florida – $221

And, here are the top 10 most-booked international flight destinations for Spring Break 2022, with corresponding round-trip fare costs that would be considered good deals.

1. San Juan, Puerto Rico – $275

2. Cancun, Mexico – $320

3. Mexico City, Mexico – $346

4. Cabo, Mexico – $373

5. Paris, France – $537

6. Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – $362