CHARLOTTE, N.C. — We are less than a month until the start of spring. If you’re looking to get ahead of your spring break plans this year, experts said now is the time to book your flights and hotels, so later down the road you’re not left asking, "Where's the money?"
Whether you’re a college student planning a trip with friends or a family traveling over spring break, experts warn travel demand is surging for spring getaways this year.
"We ran a survey at Hopper, and 50% of Americans are traveling for spring break this year," Lindsay Schwimer, consumer travel expert at the travel app Hopper, said.
Schwimer said now is the time to snag some of the best travel deals.
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"If you haven't booked your spring break trips yet, you're going to want to do that as soon as possible, especially if you're traveling in March or early April -- lock in those prices," she said.
But what if it’s too early, and you’re not ready to hit book on a flight just yet? Schwimer said you can just “freeze” a flight price.
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"If you see a low price now, but you're not quite ready to book on the Hopper app … use the price freeze tool, lock in a low price now, and book at a later date when you're ready," she said.
No shock here, but Schwimer said warm weather destinations have topped the list for spring break destinations this year.
"Think places like Cancun, Mexico, Orlando, Florida, Miami, so really those tropical destinations across the Caribbean, Mexico and then Florida domestically," she said.
There is some good news. Schwimer said prices to those destinations are actually down this year compared to last year.
"Airfares across the U.S. are averaging about $250," she said. "For spring break trips domestically, if you're heading to one of those warmer weather or tropical Caribbean destinations, you're probably looking about $380 to $400 round trip for those flights."
But that’s why she stressed travelers need to hop on these good deals now, because they won't last forever.
"We are still seeing some really great deals out there," she said. "If you haven't booked, you're not too late -- so if you want to get out there for spring break, go book those trips as soon as possible."
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