You need to book ASAP for a Valentine's Day trip, but right on time for spring break
Valentine's Day and spring break are just around the corner, and it's not too late to get some good deals on travel if you want to get away.
Whether you're planning a romantic long weekend or a raging week on the beach, these are some top tips for stretching your dollar further.
In general, flexibility and a little planning go a long way, but being strategic about your destination choice can also help with bargain hunting.
Here's where and when Hayley Berg, chief economist at Hopper, says you should plan to go for these upcoming vacation opportunities.
Valentine's Day travel booking tips
Since Valentine's Day is so close, it's a good idea to book as soon as possible if you want to get away and haven't made plans. Airfares tend to go up close to the departure date, especially with just a few weeks to go.
According to data from Hopper, travelers should expect to spend a little over $300 round-trip for destinations in the U.S. for a Valentine's Day weekend getaway, with tickets a little over $600 for many Mexican and Central American destinations and a little more than $700 round-trip to Europe.
Popular destinations include Las Vegas, Denver, New York; Medellín, Colombia; Cancún, Mexico; and San Jose, Costa Rica.
Travelers should expect to spend between $60 and $150 on a hotel per night at many destinations for Valentine's Day, according to Hopper data.
Spring break travel booking tips
Now is also an ideal time to plan a spring break trip.
According to Hopper data, the booking window for the best fares for international trips is quickly closing, but for domestic flights, the ideal window is typically three to six weeks before departure.
"The first two weekends of March will be the cheapest travel weekends this spring, as the spring vacation season just begins to kick off. Traveling the week of April 14th, or either bookending weekends, will be the most expensive time to take a trip this spring travel season," Berg said in a statement. "Both Passover and Easter Sunday fall within this week, a time when many Americans look to visit family and when many schools are closed for spring break holidays. Travelers should expect to pay a significant premium for taking domestic or international trips over this weekend, with domestic airfare already 33% higher for this week compared to the first two weekends of March."
Popular spring break destinations this year include Las Vegas, Orlando, Miami, Cancún, Mexico; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
According to Hopper's data, airfares to many of those destinations are higher this year for spring break than they were in 2024.
General booking tips
Berg said these are five things to keep in mind any time you're planning a trip:
Start monitoring prices early: the best way to make sure you're getting a deal is to start checking prices early and use tracking tools to see how fares compare to the average
Be flexible on dates: Traveling mid-week instead of over the weekend can lead to big savings on airfare
Follow the deal, not the destination: If you're traveling for leisure and aren't tied to a specific place, you can unlock savings by seeing where the best prices are for your preferred type of getaway
Plan for disruptions: Make sure you're protected with travel insurance or flexible booking policies in case something goes wrong
Don't be afraid to wait on lodging: If you're traveling to a big city with many hotel options, you may find better deals by waiting to book your room until the last minute
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are Valentine's Day, spring break trips expensive? When to book each.
