Spring Break Travel Will Surge in 2023, Here's How to Save on Your Trip

When I was in college, one of the defining traits of my spring break trips was that they were all cheap. At best, I had two jobs and a measly tax return to help pay for the trip, at worst I had a 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. I'm nostalgic for it.

This year, skimping on costs might be significantly more challenging. According to data from Expedia, flight searches for spring break travel this year are up by 40% compared to 2022, and average ticket prices for March and April are much higher, compared to last year. The most expensive times to fly in March and April 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 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.

And finally, if you're looking for cities where you can really scrape pennies together, Expedia data recommends Fort Lauderdale, New York City, and Toronto. You can expect to find the cost of roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations for less than $350. If you stick to pizza for sustenance, you can probably keep your trip under $400. (Just make sure you are drinking plenty of water!)

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