Travelers looking to book a summer vacation still have plenty of affordable options, but they have to act fast.
Airfares are declining as much as 7 percent ahead of the popular summer travel season, with a surprising 10 percent drop on flights over the Fourth of July weekend. The findings were revealed in travel booking site Kayak’s annual Travel Check-In.
The booking website also revealed that travelers can save even more by timing their vacations around certain weeks. Kayak’s data revealed that May 19-June 8 and Aug. 11-31 are the most affordable times of the year to book domestic airfare, and Aug. 4-31 offers the lowest prices for international airfare.
International passengers can save an average of $546 by delaying a trip from the peak of international summer travel, June 9, to the cheapest day on Aug. 25, according to an analysis of the data.
“In a year where costs are climbing almost everywhere else, summer travel is offering rare and meaningful savings,” the Kayak report revealed.
For travelers seeking destination inspiration, Atlanta and Tampa, Florida, are the cheapest places to fly with average airfares at $262. These are followed by Raleigh, North Carolina; Fort Myers, Florida; and Orlando, Florida; which each have roundtrip prices under $293.
Prices for international destinations are also dropping with Toronto, Montreal, and Calgary, Canada, all seeing declines in airfare, as well as San Salvador, El Salvador, and Mexico City. The international flights are all under $420 round-trip.
Sydney had the largest global drop in price this summer, with a savings of $307 compared to 2024.
The most popular global summer destinations won’t be surprising to frequent travelers. London tops this list, followed by Tokyo, Paris, Rome, and Orlando.
