Water gushing from a ledge into a large pool enclosed by bluffs topped with dense vegetation.

Spring Break 2026 is shaping up to be more global, more outdoorsy and, most importantly, more affordable than last year. Travelers are branching out to emerging destinations while taking advantage of falling airfare, especially for international trips.

Spring Break 2026 at a glance.

Search interest is up among travelers but they’re not paying more to get away. Even better? The biggest price drops are on international routes – hello, long-haul Spring Break.

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Flight interest is up 7% year over year. Domestic airfare is down 4% and international airfare is down 11%.

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Hotel interest is up 5% year over year. Domestic rates are down 2%, but international rates are up 21%.

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Rental car interest is up 4% year over year. Domestic rates are down 6%, but international rates are up 4%.

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The deal on Europe

Europe dominates all 10 top international deals for Spring Break. 

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Now trending

Hilo, Hawaii takes the #1 spot for trending Spring Break destinations. 

Europe is where the flight deals are.

If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to fly across the pond, this might be it.

All 10 of the top international Spring Break flight deals are in Europe. Cities like Dubrovnik, Naples, Palermo and Florence are seeing airfare drops of up to 26% compared to last year. Europe is also the most searched international region for Spring Break.

Even better, airfare to Europe as a whole is down 8% compared to last Spring Break, making long haul travel feel a lot more attainable for a week away.

A cluster of houses layered on a forested hill guarded by two opposing stone fortresses perched on the rocks along the shore.

Domestic deals go outdoors.

A father leads his two daughters hiking in the mountains.

Closer to home, the best domestic deals lean into wide open spaces.

Montrose, Bozeman, Grand Junction and Aspen are among the top deal destinations, with airfare down as much as 29%.

Many serve as gateways to national parks or are known for outdoor adventure, suggesting Spring Break is not just about poolside lounging. It’s hiking trails, mountain air and national park views at a lower price point than last year.

Regional spotlight: Where travelers are heading from these cities.

Spring Break looks different depending on where you are flying from.

Spring Break trends from Atlanta.

Travel interest from Atlanta is on par with last year, but airfare is cheaper across the board. Domestic airfare is down 10% and international fares are down 7%.

Even more notable: Caribbean fares have dropped 22% compared to last Spring Break – one of the highest regional price declines ATL travelers are seeing this season.

The most popular destinations for Atlantans include Las Vegas, New York and San Juan.

For those looking for value, some of the cheapest options include:

DomesticInternational
Philadelphia $141Calgary, Canada $345
New York $143Montego Bay, Jamaica $419
Miami $144San José, Costa Rica $486
Fort Lauderdale $147Punta Cana, Dominican Republic $494
Chicago $150

Spring Break trends from Charlotte.

Travel interest from Charlotte shows international flight interest is up 5% year over year. At the same time, both domestic and international airfare are 3% cheaper than last year.

Even more notable: Asia interest is up 22% and airfare to the region is down 12% – one of the strongest value pockets Charlotte travelers are seeing this season.

The most popular destinations for Charlotteans include Las Vegas, New York and San Juan.

For those looking for value, some of the cheapest destinations include:

DestinationAverage airfare
San Juan, Puerto Rico$394
Dublin, Ireland $566
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic$650
San José, Costa Rica$660
Barcelona, Spain$677

Spring Break trends from Dallas.

Travel interest from Dallas shows domestic flight interest is up 4% year over year. Both domestic and international airfare is on par with last year’s prices. 

Even more notable: Asia fares are down 15%, marking the steepest regional price drop from Dallas this season. At the same time, interest in the Middle East is up 12%, signaling Dallasites are thinking beyond traditional beach getaways.

The most popular destinations for Dallasites include Orlando, Las Vegas, New York and Tokyo.

For those looking for value, some of the cheapest destinations include:

DestinationAverage airfare
San Juan, Puerto Rico$364
San José, Costa Rica$541
Dublin, Ireland$583

Spring Break trends from Houston.

Travel interest from Houston shows domestic flight interest is up 9% year over year. Domestic airfare is 4% cheaper than last year, while international airfare is down 10% from the Houston region.

Even more notable: fares to Central America are down 17% – the steepest regional price drop Houston travelers are seeing this season

The most popular destinations for Houstonians include Tokyo, New York and Las Vegas.

For those looking for value, some of the cheapest destinations include:

DestinationAverage airfare
Calgary, Canada $368
San Juan, Puerto Rico$395
San José, Costa Rica$477
Milan, Italy $543

Spring Break trends from Miami.

Travel interest from Miami is holding steady compared to last Spring Break, and airfare largely unchanged.

Europe continues to rank as the most searched international region. At the same time, interest in Africa is up 20% year-over-year making it one of the fastest-growing long-haul destinations for Miami travelers this season. For those staying closer to home, there’s value to be found: Caribbean fares are down 16% compared to last year.

The most popular destinations for Miamians include Madrid, Rome, Paris and London.

For those looking for value, some of the cheapest destinations include:

DestinationAverage airfare
San Juan, Puerto Rico$218
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic $287
San José, Costa Rica$292
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic $296

Spring Break trends from Nashville.

Travel interest from Nashville is holding steady compared to last Spring Break, but pricing trends show domestic airfare is 3% cheaper than last year, while international fares are down 10% from Nashville.

Even more notably, Europe is the most searched international region and fares are down 11% – the steepest regional price drop Nashvillians are seeing this season.

Interest in South America and Asia is also up 10% year-over-year, signaling that Nashville travelers may be expanding their Spring Break horizons beyond traditional quick-turn domestic trips.

The most popular destinations for Nashvillians include Orlando, Las Vegas, Miami and New York.

For those looking for value, some of the cheapest destinations include:

DestinationAverage airfare
San Juan, Puerto Rico$388
Paris, France$724
Dublin, Ireland$735
London, England$796

Spring Break trends from Raleigh.

Travel interest from Raleigh shows international flight interest is up 3% year over year. Domestic airfare is 11% cheaper year-over-year, while international fares are down 9%.

One standout shift: Asia searches are up 23% – one of the strongest growth areas from Raleigh this season. At the same time, Caribbean fares are down 12%, creating meaningful savings for travelers eyeing beach destinations.

The most popular destinations for Raleighites include San Juan, Orlando, Miami and Las Vegas.

For those looking for value, some of the cheapest destinations include:

DestinationAverage airfare
San Juan, Puerto Rico$335
San José, Costa Rica$443
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic$504
Dublin, Ireland$530

Spring Break trends from Tampa.

Travel interest from Tampa is holding steady compared to last Spring Break, but pricing trends show that while domestic airfare is up slightly (4%), international fares are down 12% compared to last Spring Break.

At the same time, search behavior suggests travelers are expanding their horizons: Asia interest is up 24% year-over-year, while South America fares have dropped 14%, marking the steepest regional price decline from Tampa this Spring Break.

The most popular destinations for Tampa travelers include New York, Las Vegas, San Juan and Denver.

For those looking for value, some of the cheapest destinations include:

DestinationAverage airfare
San Juan, Puerto Rico$264
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic $404
Madrid, Spain$654
Rome, Italy$723
Paris, France$779
A coconut-tree lined beach equipped with umbrellas and loungers perfect for watching the waves crash on the shore.

The bottom line.

Spring Break 2026 is all about timing and flexibility. With airfare down, especially internationally, this is the year to widen your search.

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If you are not set on one destination, use KAYAK Explore to see where your budget can take you. Flexible date search can also reveal cheaper departure days you might otherwise miss. And if you are still deciding, set a Price Alert and let the deals come to you.

Methodology

Based on flight searches made on KAYAK in the period between 2025-10-01 and 2026-02-09 for flights with departure between 2026-03-01 and 2026-04-30 from any US airport. They were compared to searches made in the period between 2024-10-01 and 2025-02-09 with the travel period between 2025-03-01 and 2025-04-30. All prices are average prices for economy, return tickets. Prices may vary and savings cannot be guaranteed. Percentages for changes in searches are approximate.

Based on hotel searches made on KAYAK.com in the period between 2025-10-01 and 2026-02-09 for travel days between 2026-03-01 and 2026-04-30. They were compared to the searches made in the period between 2024-10-01 and 2025-02-09 with the travel period between 2025-03-01 and 2025-04-30. All prices are average for 1 night in a double room. Prices may vary and savings cannot be guaranteed.

Based on car rental searches made on KAYAK.com in the period between 2025-10-01 and 2026-02-09 for travel days between 2026-03-01 and 2026-04-30. They were compared to the searches made in the period between 2024-10-01 and 2025-02-09 with the travel period between 2025-03-01 and 2025-04-30. All prices are average on rental cars. Prices may vary and savings cannot be guaranteed.

About the author

Author KAYAK
KAYAK Since 2004, KAYAK has been revolutionizing the travel industry. Metasearch for travel? No one was doing it. Until we did. Today, we process billions of queries across our platforms each year for travel information, helping millions of travelers around the globe make confident decisions. With every query, KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites to show travelers the information they need to find the right flights, hotels, hire cars and holiday packages.

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