How to Save Money on Your Spring Break Trip This Year
The TSA says spring break travel is trending to be 6% busier in 2024 than in 2023.
When I was in college, one of the defining traits of my spring break trips were that they were all cheap. At best, I had two jobs and a measly tax return to help pay for it, at worst I had only one job and the five dollar lunch stipend I saved up at my internship. I turned my bikinis into a neck pillow, hopped onto a Spirit flight, and prayed I'd be able to afford food for the entire week. Somehow, I'm nostalgic for it.
This year, skimping on costs might be significantly more challenging. The TSA recently announced that spring break travel is trending 6% above 2023 rates. This comes even as the most popular destinations in Florida and Mexico have seen a decrease in visitors by 11% and 17% respectively, according to aviation statistics company OAG. That's not too surprising, considering that the city of Miami has announced they don't want spring break tourists to come to the hotspot this year.
That being said, let's dive into the tips for saving money on your last-minute spring break trips. The first suggestion: Try being flexible with your dates of travel, if it is possible. The most expensive times to fly for spring break will be late March and early April. So if you can manage to swing it, try to plan your trip during the first week of March (which, yes, already happened) or after April 16.
Another tip from Expedia? Hold off on booking your hotel if you want to save some coin. Roughly 64% of spring break travelers make hotel reservations 90 or more days before their trip. But by waiting until about one month before your trip, you can expect to save about $30 each night. That might not seem like much, but $30 a night for five nights? It adds up.
NerdWallet's travel expert and writer, Sally French, says that one place to save big on spring break travel is with the car rental, as it is one area of travel where prices have not decreased in 2024. French told Thrillist that there are three major ways to save on your spring break car rental:
1. Book ASAP. "While it’s true that you might find last-minute deals, you’re also gambling with availability if you wait until the last-minute to book. Luckily you can have the best of both worlds when booking with most rental car companies, which allow you to reserve in advance. Most don’t require upfront payment, yet most lock in your rate at booking," French explained.
2. Skip the airport counter. "It’s almost always more expensive to book a rental car at the airport than from the same company’s location downtown. That’s largely because airports charge rental car companies to operate on their sites to cover costs such as shuttle, cleaning and security services," outlined French.
3. Understand your insurance coverage. "Rental agencies typically have minimal coverage on their vehicles, which you might purchase at the rental car counter. But coverage can come from your personal auto policy or a third-party insurer, which means you might already be covered," said French.
Trivago also advised a few key tips on saving money on your spring break vacation these years. Be sure to add these to your strategy when booking:
- Split accommodation costs between a group of friends—in this case, the more the merrier (cheaper).
- Pack smart by bringing things like reusable water bottles, sunscreen, and other items that will be priced at a premium at your destination.
- Maximize your student discount opportunities by keeping your student ID with you and asking for student discounts while dining, renting cars, and booking hotels.
- Skip eating out when you can, and instead hit up the grocery store for cheaper meals. If you're a foodie, this can mean swapping out breakfast out for a simple cereal and coffee at your hotel, rather than the fancy diner down the road.
Looking to save money on travel?
Here's our running list of all the cheap travel deals you can book right now, and you can head here for all the latest flight deals plus cheap things to do and savings on hotels, cruises, trains, and more to help you plan for your next trip.
Opheli Garcia Lawler is a Staff Writer on the News team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter @opheligarcia and Instagram @opheligarcia.