WASHINGTON, D.C. — As spring break season kicks off in March and extends into late April 2025, travelers are eyeing warm destinations, but they’ll face higher costs for hotel stays and airline tickets, offset by significantly cheaper gas prices compared to last year. AAA booking data, released on March 11, 2025, highlights these trends as families and adventurers plan escapes from the recent cold snap.
Florida dominates the top U.S. destinations, with Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Tampa leading the list, thanks to beaches, theme parks, and cruise ports. “For families looking to put the cold and snowy winter behind, Spring Break can’t come soon enough!” said Ragina Cooper Ali, AAA spokesperson for Maryland and Washington, D.C. Other popular domestic spots include New York, Chicago, and Atlanta.
Internationally, Europe claims eight of the top 10 cities, with Rome, London, and Paris at the forefront, alongside Barcelona, Madrid, and Aruba. Tokyo, Japan, reflects a surge in Asian travel interest, up significantly over the past year.
Travel costs have shifted. Domestic roundtrip airfares average $820, up 7% from 2024, while international tickets are $1,440, a 2% increase. U.S. hotel stays average $660, an 8% rise, but international hotels are down 4% to $740. Car rentals hold steady domestically at $645, with international rentals dropping 5% to $615. Gas prices, however, offer relief, with a national average of $3.08 per gallon—31 cents below last year’s $3.39. In Virginia, the state average is $2.88, down 36 cents from 2024 and 16 cents from a month ago, nearing May 2021 lows. Ali noted, “We’ve seen crude oil prices drop from $80/barrel in January to around $67/barrel in March,” explaining that 50% of pump prices tie to oil costs.
Cruising is booming, with AAA projecting 19 million Americans sailing in 2025, a third straight year of records. Domestic cruises from Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and Miami—world’s top ports—are up 27%, while international cruises (e.g., Persian Gulf, Mexican Riviera, Danube, Rhine) rise 3%. Travelers to the UK must secure an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), effective in 2025, for entry or transit via Heathrow and Manchester, per a January UK government update.
A key post-spring break concern is the May 7, 2025, REAL ID deadline, requiring compliant IDs for domestic flights and federal facilities. The federal REAL ID website offers a compliance quiz. AAA’s data reflects robust travel demand, with 85% of bookings for March 15-22, aligning with school calendars, per their travel trends report.
