Timing is everything when it comes to saving big on travel this spring
It’s Not Too Late to Plan a Spring Break Vacation: If You Book by This Date, You Can Save 25% on Airfare
Published on Mar. 06, 2025
After a long, cold winter spent cooped up indoors, jetting off to a warm, sunny destination for spring break sounds pretty heavenly. Go ahead: Close your eyes and imagine yourself lying on the beach in Cancún, Miami or Maui, sipping a fruity drink while the kids frolic in the sand and have the time of their lives—it might be enough to make you want to grab your phone and book your airfare ASAP.
Hold on, though: Isn’t it too late to get decently priced airfare tickets for spring break? Nope! While many people book early in the hopes of getting affordable fares during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year, you can still get a fantastic deal on spring break travel. In fact, you can save up to 25% on your tickets, according to a new spring-travel report from Expedia … if you book your flight at the right time.
Read on to find out exactly when to book those flights to score a massive discount and make your family’s spring break dreams come true this year.
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When should you book spring break airfare by?
If you’re planning a trip for spring break, the sweet spot to book your airfare is between three weeks to one month before you plan to fly, says Expedia. That means if you plan to travel around Easter—which falls on April 20 and which school districts usually attach their spring break week to—you’ll want to find and book those plane tickets between March 23 and March 30. Booking within this narrow window can save you up to 25%, regardless of your destination, which really adds up if you are traveling with a partner or your whole family.
Popular convention holds that booking your flight as far in advance as possible or booking it only days before your trip is the best way to save on airfare, but according to Expedia’s Spring Travel Outlook report, that’s not actually true. In fact, based on an analysis of last year’s most expensive travel windows, the worst time to book spring break airfare is more than 90 days before your departure or between zero and six days before flying.
How else can you save on airfare for spring break?
Timing when to book your flight based on your travel dates can save you some serious cash, but it’s not the only way to score cheaper flights for spring break. To maximize your savings, try these other insider tips too:
Avoid peak travel days
If you’re planning your trip around school schedules, you may be locked into specific dates, but if you have any flexibility, avoiding peak travel days can really slash those ticket prices. The last two Saturdays of March (March 22 and March 29), Easter weekend (April 18 through April 20) and Mother’s Day weekend (May 9 through May 11) are the most in-demand travel dates, according to Expedia, so avoid flying on those days if at all possible.
On the flip side, the best times for domestic travel are the last week of April and the first week of May. Flying during either of these weeks can save you up to $55 compared with flying on peak dates.
Planning an international trip? Aim to fly the last week of April, and you can save up to $115.
Travel on a Tuesday
Knowing the cheapest day to fly is also an excellent way to cut down the cost of air travel. Whenever possible, book your departure on a Tuesday. Believe it not, Expedia data shows that flying on a Tuesday instead of Friday can save you up to 15% on your domestic ticket.
Track prices before booking
Tracking prices well in advance can help you find the lowest possible airfare. Try using flight price trackers, like the Price Tracking feature on the Expedia app or Google Flights, or try popular travel apps like Hopper or Skyscanner, which scour the web for the best possible flight offers. Sites like Kayak also allow you to compare prices on multiple airlines at the same time and set alerts when price drops become available.
Why trust us
Reader’s Digest has published hundreds of travel stories that help readers explore the world safely, easily and affordably. We regularly cover topics such as the best places to visit (and the best times to visit them), tips and tricks to zoom through airport security, flight-attendant secrets, hotel-room hacks and more. We’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Source:
- Expedia: “Expedia Spring Travel Outlook”
