YOU CAN STILL BOOK CHEAP SUMMER FLIGHTS TO THESE DESTINATIONS

While the excitement of the summer travel season is upon us, it’s coming with one major caveat: high price tags on airfare. With scaled-back flight schedules, strategizing—especially by booking early—is more essential than ever before. But even if you haven’t locked in your flights yet, it’s not too late to find that affordable summer getaway, if you know where to go.

“Entertainment meccas, such as Las Vegas and Orlando, provide consistent value, with especially good deals in the summer,” says Kevin Heery, Priceline’s chief product officer. “There is widely available inventory at multiple star-levels and price points to cater to different interests and budgets.”

Broadly speaking, domestic airfares are going down, as Kayak’s consumer travel trends expert Kayla Inserra says they’ve seen the average price over the last two weeks dip 23 percent, while international fares have gone up 11 percent during the same period. Even so, travelers who want to use their passports can still find flight deals.

We looked at data from both Priceline and Kayak, as well as Skyscanner and Booking.com, to hone in on nine of the best destinations still offering affordable summer vacations. 

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Las Vegas

The Nevada city continues to be a top choice for Americans, appearing on all four booking companies’ lists. For Skyscanner, it was the top booked destination for the summer for roundtrip economy airfare for departures between May 1 and September 1, while Booking.com noted that it’s one of its top cities offering Getaway Deals, as well as one of the most searched and trending locations for domestic travelers.

Despite June being the peak month for Kayak, which named Vegas one of its most popular summer destinations, roundtrip summer prices from Phoenix start at $80 and from Chicago O’Hare at $166, with average round trips being $315. Priceline also noted an average nightly hotel at $130, making it one of the most affordable places to stay as well.

Madeira, Portugal 

At the top of Skyscanner’s best value destinations for the year is Madeira, Portugal, which has seen a 22 percent price drop since the beginning of the pandemic—and also seen a 123 percent increase in searches, landing it on the booking site’s hot list for family travel. 

The best days to fly to the islands off the coast of northern Africa are in August, according to the site, with average roundtrip flights from $588. Fares increase to $692 for bookings in July, and $776 for flights in June.

Orlando 

With bold-faced name attractions like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, it’s no surprise this Florida city also showed up on every booking company’s lists for summer deals. Kayak called Orlando the cheapest summer destination for domestic travel, with an average airfare of $335. Meanwhile Skyscanner’s global travel trends expert Laura Lindsay said it was one of the top booked summer cities, with fares as low as $70 roundtrip in June.

This summer also brings the return of Southwest Airlines service from Boston; Cincinnati; and Jackson, Mississippi; as well as JetBlue flights from Worcester, Massachussetts. New service is also being launched from Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina, on Avelo; Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Long Beach, California, on Southwest; and Providence, Rhode Island, on Breeze. 

Taipei, Taiwan

Perhaps most surprisingly, Taiwan’s capital was also called out by three of the travel booking sites. It was the top trending international destination on Kayak, with a 344 percent increase from last year in booking searches, while Skyscanner called it one of the most underrated alternative destinations. 

“This summer, especially now that Asia has dropped most of its covid restrictions, we’re seeing travelers venture further,” Heery said, highlighting Taipei as one of Priceline's most affordable destinations with hotel average rates at $130. Skyscanner lists August flights from $875. While served by carriers like United and Cathay Pacific, Taiwan own’s EVA Air also provides top-notch service, as does the newcomer to the market, Starlux Airlines, which just launched its first U.S. route to LAX, this spring, with August rates starting at $901.

Salt Lake City 

“Typically a hot ski destination, Salt Lake City is prime for summer travels, too, with plenty of outdoor activities like boat rides, biking, scenic hikes, or visiting one of the many nearby national parks,” Inserra says. She notes that average airfare on Kayak is about $370, which is a 26 percent decrease compared to last summer. Skyscanner also said that the cheapest month to fly to the Utah capital is June (specifically June 20 is the cheapest arrival date), showing the lowest roundtrip fares starting at $47 in June, $54 in July, and $52 in August.  

Dallas

The north Texas hub is one that “may not be top of mind, but you should definitely check out,” Heery says, noting it’s on Priceline's Top 10 Most Affordable list for both airfare and hotels. Dallas, the self-professed “official home of the frozen margarita,” is filled with activities to beat the Texas heat, from water activities on White Rock Lake or Trinity River to Shakespeare Dallas’ outdoor Shakespeare in the Park shows at the Samuell-Grand Amphitheater lawn, this year featuring Much Ado About Nothing, Two Gentlemen from Verona, and King Lear. 

Kayak also ranked it as one the cheapest summer domestic destinations with $369 average airfare, with roundtrip flights from Phoenix for $190, Chicago O'Hare from $203, and San Diego for $320.

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

“If you’re looking to travel internationally without breaking the bank, Canada is a great option,” Inserra says. While Toronto has roundtrip deals on Kayak averaging $405 roundtrip and Montreal for $492, Calgary, which sits just a bit more at $512, is a less crowded market, but offers nearly 20,000 acres of parks, as well as hiking on the Bow River Pathway, biking around the Glenmore Reservoir, or even high-speed fun on one of the continent’s fastest ziplines. Priceline also called out the Alberta city for its low hotel rates, averaging $148 a night.

Cancun, Mexico

There’s a reason Cancun is such a popular beach getaway. Not only is it in the same central time zone as Chicago in the summer, but flight deals are not hard to hunt down. Kayak says that prices have seen a 20 percent drop since last summer, with average roundtrip airfares at $551. Prices tend to rise as it gets deeper into the summer, with $448 in June, $556 in July, and $575 in August.

It’s also one of Booking.com’s top locations for Getaway Deals, and among Kayak and Skyscanner’s top spots for international travel.

Manila, Philippines 

For both Kayak and Skyscanner, Manila was one of the top international destinations. With high season being November through January, the off-peak season makes it one of Priceline's most affordable destinations with average nightly hotel rates at $123. Summer roundtrip flights will still likely be in the four-digit range, according to Kayak, with a sharp drop of nearly $300 from July to August. That said, the booking site did find a one-way ticket between New York and Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International for $458.