Expedia Data Reveals Where Travelers Are Heading for First Big Travel Period of 2024 

Expedia® today released its Spring Break Travel Outlook, revealing that the April 8 total solar eclipse is one of the major forces behind the season’s fastest-growing destination trends. According to Expedia flight searches for the spring period, Dallas (+95%) and Austin (+90%) are the U.S. cities seeing some of the biggest year-over-year growth, driven by their location along the path of totality.¹ The week of the eclipse also happens to coincide with what has historically been spring’s busiest travel week, April 1 to 8.² 

Expedia search data reveals spring breakers are also eyeing more traditional destinations like Orlando (+60%) and Cancun (+30%). Punta Cana (+60%) and Mexico City (+55%) lead the list of trending international destinations. For U.S. travelers headed overseas, Tokyo’s cherry blossoms remain a big draw, with year-over-year searches up nearly 55% for the second consecutive year, while others are looking to enjoy springtime in Paris (+20%) ahead of the summer crowds descending on the city.  

From pinpointing optimal flight times to sharing insights on sidestepping disruptions and revealing the trendiest destinations, Expedia’s Spring Break Travel Outlook equips travelers with essential tips for planning the perfect spring break getaway. 

“Spring travel is going to be even busier this year with the addition of solar eclipse seekers hitting airports in early April,” said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations. “The week of April 2 is going to be the busiest and priciest time for air travel. Whether it’s a fly and flop beach trip or traveling to the path of totality, the best hack is to save hundreds of dollars by bundling flights, hotels and car rental on the Expedia app.” 

Read the full Expedia Spring Break Travel Outlook below, including top destinations and tips for saving on airfare and car rental.  

 
Expedia Spring Break Travel Outlook 

Destinations Insights 

While Expedia search data reveals that Texas and Florida lead in terms of domestic hotspots, notable year-over-year spikes are observed for major international cities in Europe and Asia as well as beach destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean.¹ 

Planning to travel for the solar eclipse? A new feature on the Expedia app lets you explore thousands of hotels along the solar eclipse’s projected path effortlessly. Enter “Solar Eclipse 2024” in the destination box, choose the dates, and discover a variety of properties within the eclipse’s projected path of totality. 

Best Times to Travel This Spring 

Even for travelers bound by school schedules, avoiding the busiest travel days can offer cost and time savings. Departing on a Tuesday instead of during the weekend can be around 15% cheaper, based on historical flight prices, and for those with flexible schedules, traveling the last week of April was half as busy as the rest of March and April, and cheaper as well.² 

Cheapest Day of the Week to Fly 

For domestic and international flights, departing on a Tuesday is historically 15% cheaper on average than departing on a Saturday or Sunday. 

Busiest Day of the Week to Fly 

In addition to being the cheapest day of the week to depart, Tuesday is also the least busy day at the airport during spring, based on 2023 flight data, while Friday is the busiest. 

Car Rental Tips 

Travelers can save by adding their car rental to their flight or hotel booking on Expedia, taking advantage of bundled rates. Plus, build in flexibility by selecting rates with free cancellation or opting to “pay at pickup” in case plans change.³ 

Spring Break Travel Hacks 

Let Expedia traveler tools do the heavy lifting when it comes to identifying the best time to book, saving on airfare and streamlined planning. 

• Set up flight alerts: Find the right time to book and get notified when flight prices drop with Price Tracking in the Expedia app.  
• Choose a morning flight: According to Expedia’s 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, flights departing after 3 p.m. are 50% more susceptible to cancellations than their earlier counterparts, proving it pays to be a morning person. 
• Get the best price: When added to a flight booking, Price Drop Protection*ⁱ provides an automatic refund if the flight price drops on Expedia after booking.  
• Reserve a hotel with flexible policies: Use Expedia’s search filters to look for properties offering “free cancellation” or “reserve now, pay later,” and opt for the refundable room. 
• Book once, earn twice: One Key™ members earn OneKeyCash™ through eligible Expedia bookings and can earn twice by inputting their airline mileage plan details at checkout, turning each trip into a more rewarding experience. 

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Data Sources:  

¹ Most popular and trending destinations based on Expedia.com flight searches for travel during the weeks of March 5 – April 26, 2024, as of January 15, 2024. Trending destinations are based on comparisons to the same time period last year. 

² Best time to fly based on Expedia flight demand for travel during March and April 2023 compared to the same time frame in 2022. 

³ Overall demand and average daily rates (ADR) trends for car rentals is based on car rental bookings on Expedia.com for March and April 2023 vs the same time frame in 2022.  

^*iPrice Drop Protection is available for a fee on eligible flights. Refund will be the difference if the price of your flight on Expedia drops. Terms apply. See site for details.