Ah, college spring break. The noblest rite of passage for our nation’s future leaders. With March around the corner, college students across the country are preparing for a week of fun and relaxation (much of which their parents will hopefully never hear about). So, whether you want to avoid them or join them, where is everyone going this year?
CheapOair looked at where 18 to 25-year-olds are traveling this year, and found that while “many are still traveling to popular spring break destinations, such as Mexico and Florida, booking data shows a significant increase in European destinations among travelers ages 18 to 25.”
England, France, Ireland, Spain, and Croatia are the most popular destinations for spring breakers eschewing the traditional beach party scenario.
“For spring break, travelers are still spending an average of 5-6 days in popular destinations such as Florida and Mexico,” said Tom Spagnola, Senior Vice President of Supplier Relations at CheapOair. “An overall trend we’re seeing with this age group is that they’re taking longer international trips of 10-12 days in destinations such as Spain and Netherlands, and up to 22 days in destinations such as Thailand.” (Serious question: Which colleges give students 22 days off for spring break?)
Here are the top destinations and average airfares for spring break 2019, courtesy of CheapOair:
| Domestic Destinations | Average Airfare | International Destinations | Average Airfare | |
| Orlando, Florida | $291 | Cancun, Mexico | $434 | |
| Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | $304 | London, England | $841 | |
| Los Angeles, California | $268 | Paris, France | $669 | |
| Miami, Florida | $354 | Dublin, Ireland | $596 | |
| Las Vegas, Nevada | $281 | Barcelona, Spain | $542 | |
| Denver, Colorado | $283 | Bangkok, Thailand | $797 | |
| Tampa, Florida | $291 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | $674 | |
| San Juan, Puerto Rico | $369 | Zagreb, Croatia | $520 | |
| Fort Myers, Florida | $317 | Mexico City, Mexico | $372 | |
| Phoenix, Arizona | $328 | Madrid, Spain | $620 |
More from SmarterTravel:
- 10 Stylish Spring Break Swimsuits Under $50
- An Epic California Spring Break Combining Beach Time and Snow
- The Best Cruise Ships for Every Taste and Budget
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