Priceline 
After an iffy holiday travel season due to the Omicron variant, Americans are ready for spring – specifically, spring break travel. That’s according to our consumer insights survey, in which roughly half of respondents indicated that, by spring, their travel habits would return to a pre-COVID normal.
To get a read on how consumers view spring travel – and on where they’re going – RetailMeNot and top travel dealmaker, Priceline, teamed up to publish a joint study on 2022 spring travel and spending trends, the most popular destinations of 2022 and more.
The below information includes data from a recent consumer survey from RetailMeNot around travel spending for spring and summer, and Priceline’s proprietary data on travel destinations for Spring Break 2022.
What’s more, Priceline is offering an exclusive deal for spring break: Until midnight March 23, get $100 off Express Deal and select Pay Now hotels of $500 or more with promo code RETAILMENOT100.*
Consumer Outlook: Travel is Returning to Normal
As spring and summer approach, consumers say they’re looking forward to hitting the roads and skies. They’re not only excited about soaking up warmer weather, but are also already planning on traveling in the upcoming months. The following insights are from RetailMeNot’s consumer insights survey:
Back to traveling: By spring, nearly half (48%) of all Americans expect their travel activities to return to a pre-COVID normal.
- 31% feel like their travel is already “normal.”
- Another 17% expect it to be within the next three months.
Some have been waiting for some time to plan a proper vacation.
- 44% are still waiting to splurge on travel.
- 30% have accumulated vacation time due to COVID.
Most (65%) are looking to book their travels no more than two months in advance.
After years of canceled or changed travel plans, most consumers aren’t planning super far in advance:
- More than a third (35%) will finalize travel plans no earlier than three weeks out.
- 30% are looking to plan trips one to two months in advance.
Priceline Data Reveals the Most Popular (and Most Affordable) Spring Break Destinations
To really dig into consumer travel trends for 2022, Priceline mined their data and discovered the most popular U.S. destinations for travel for Spring Break 2022 – and also uncovered the most affordable destinations. For the insights below, we looked at Priceline hotel data between March 5, 2022 and April 10, 2022, to identify the most relevant trends for Spring Break vacations.
Travel is making a pre-COVID comeback (in demand and prices)
Hotel searches for “spring break” are up 110% over 2021, according to Priceline’s data. That increased demand means consumers may not find the ultra-low travel pricing they did during the height of the pandemic, but there are still deals to be found, per Priceline’s data:
- The average nightly hotel price for Spring Break 2022 is $187 (U.S. only).
- Travelers looking to save during spring break should consider traveling to the western region of the country, as six out of 10 of the most affordable destinations are located within this region when analyzing average daily hotel rates.
- The Southwestern region of the U.S. is the most appealing region for travelers looking to save money, as four of the top five most affordable destinations are within this region.
- The top seven most affordable destinations are all under $125 a night!
Vegas and Florida beaches are 2022’s spring break hotspots
As is tradition, many are heading to places with warmer weather, world-class entertainment and beaches. According to Priceline’s data, Vegas and hotspots in Florida topped the list of most popular spring break destinations.
However, plenty are looking for city escapes to New York, New Orleans and Chicago.
Suburban areas outside hotspots make for affordable spring break stays
Those looking for savings might look to suburban areas just outside of these big travel metro areas, as these win out for the most affordable places to stay. See the chart below for the average nightly hotel prices for the most affordable spring break destinations. Savvy travelers might keep these destinations in mind for road trips that include some of the popular destinations above.
*This offer is valid for an order subtotal of $500 or more. Must be a 3-star hotel or greater. You can travel anytime. You must be signed in to redeem this coupon, and it’s not compatible with any other offers or cash back.
