Now that we’ve survived the travel chaos of the total solar eclipse, we can resume our regularly scheduled spring and summer trip planning. With sunbathing back on the nation’s collective radar, we’ve got our eye on cities and resorts with prime beach and boating opportunities—and, of course, we’re plotting the most affordable ways to get there.
This season, rental car companies are doling out major savings, airlines are beefing up their getaway deals, and countless hotels and resorts are slashing room rates to compete for your attention. Think 25 percent off an upgraded Avis or Budget rental car and flights to Europe under $200. Plus, Holland America Line is celebrating its anniversary with nearly half-price cruise fares, Rocky Mountaineer is offering couples $1,000 off its scenic train expeditions, and some of Belize’s best island properties and jungle villas are going for 30 percent off. Jump on these deals while they’re hot.
All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This article has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Flight deals
College students save big on Lufthansa flights and baggage fees
Verify your student status with Lufthansa and immediately reap the rewards, unlocking a host of discounted economy flights between the United States and Europe, India, Africa, or the Middle East. Students also earn one free piece of checked baggage and the option to get a refund without fees. The program only applies to students in college who are over the age of 16.
Cut costs big time with Frontier Airlines’ shockingly cheap one-way flight sales
Spring sales are in full swing at Frontier Airlines, where travelers can currently snag one-way flights as cheap as $19 between select locations on select dates. This option works best if you’re flexible with dates and destinations—you won’t have a lot of wiggle room with these deals. If you’re feeling restless, on a budget, or are eager to get out of town, consider Frontier for an affordable start to your getaway.
Fly to Europe, like, next weekend with Play’s last-minute savings
Icelandic airline Play serves up regular specials to entice Americans to explore the other side of the Atlantic. Right now, its reminding East Coasters that they could technically visit Europe as soon as this weekend if they wanted to. Weekend Break flight specials include a number of dual-continent itineraries at unbeatable prices—some clocking below $150 each way—departing from cities like New York, Baltimore, Toronto, Washington, DC, and Boston, and ending at all the major hotspots from London to Amsterdam.
Save up to 30 percent on vacation packages with Spirit Airlines
The budget airline is making it a cinch to save big not just on airfare, but hotels and more with its vacation packages, which are currently up to 30 percent off when travelers book a combination of flights, hotels, or rental cars together. Several of the top deals offer trips to Las Vegas and Cancun from cities like Chicago, Houston, and Atlanta, starting at surprisingly low prices that include flights and a hotel.
Save up to 40 percent on hotel stays with Etihad Airways’ Stopover Package
Stopover packages are a great way to add another destination to your journey without spending too much extra cash. Travelers who want to experience Abu Dhabi can take advantage of Etihad Airways’ discounted Stopover Packages, which currently include up to two free nights in select three- or four-star hotels, or 40 percent off two- or four-night hotel stays at premium properties. The offer also comes with discounts on restaurants and other experiences, as well as amenities like 24-hour check-in and complimentary Wi-Fi. Travelers must make bookings at least three days in advance before arriving in Abu Dhabi.
Train deals
Ride out Amtrak’s range of ongoing sales
Amtrak is always offering some good longer-lasting deals. Students aged 17–24 can enjoy up to 15 percent in savings on train rides booked at least a day in advance, trimming costs on a variety of routes that range from coast to coast with no change fees. Plus, on most journeys, seniors save 10 percent on ticket costs—that means travelers 65 and over for qualifying domestic trips and ages 60 and up on cross-border expeditions. And, Amtrak has sweetened the savings on its children’s discount, so little ones between two and 12 years old may travel for 50 percent off with an accompanying adult.
Save 10 percent on Grand Canyon Railway getaway packages
The Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel, home to one of the most scenic train routes in the US, will cover all the bases with its two- and three-night getaway packages that include lodging, meals, and—of course—a train ride through the Southwest’s most-visited national park. The bundles are currently 10 percent off the usual price for an undetermined amount of time, meaning if there was ever a moment to jump on the full canyon experience, it’s now.
Save up to $1,000 per couple on Rocky Mountaineer’s scenic rail tours
Luxury train travel company Rocky Mountaineer is reeling couples in with its major savings on round-trip rail journeys. Between now and April 30, travelers can book a 10-day journey through the Canadian Rockies for $780 off per couple (or $390 off per person), or jump on the eight-day Rockies to the Red Rocks itinerary for $1,000 off per couple ($500 per person). The offer applies to all travel tiers, so no matter your budget, you’ll enjoy some savings.
Tour deals
Plan a large group outing and earn the seventh spot free
Looking to take your next family reunion to a new level? Get the ol’ college friends back together? Go on a quadruple date? Whatever the occasion, EF Go Ahead Tours’ Group Travel Program caters to large groups, allowing you to handcraft your next experience and save some money along the way. For every six people who sign up, you’ll get a seventh tour spot for free. You can view this as buy six tickets, get one free; or buy 12, get two free; or buy 18, get three free—you get the point. There’s no cap to the number of free spots you can earn. Why not go all out?
Hotel deals
Get up to 20 percent off at Ace Hotels when you pay early
Ace Hotel’s Greetings From the Future deal rewards guests who book—and pay—at least two weeks in advance by trimming up to 20 percent off the reservation price. The discount, cleverly branded as “paying it forward for future you,” applies at multiple Ace locations and can be secured by booking through the deal webpage.
Book a suite with Loews Hotels and get extra on-site perks
Loews Hotels is sweetening its suite experience by giving travelers up to $125 daily for food and drink—the credit amount varies by location—plus free Premium Plus Wi-Fi. Currently, the hotels offering the largest dining credits are Loews Miami Beach and Loews Regency New York, but other properties still put up a good fight. Check out the offer page to find out what you can expect at your dream Loews destination.
Bundle flights with an Atlantis Bahamas resort stay and save up to $300
Now through March 31, guests can save up to 40 percent when booking flights and rooms at the same time through Atlantis Paradise Islands’ website, plus up to $300 in resort credit based on the length of the stay. All five of Atlantis’ Bahamas resorts are honoring the special, and the only conditions are that guests stay a minimum of two nights at the resort and pay the flight and hotel costs in full at the time of booking. If your trip is scheduled to happen before April 30, you’ll also get a daily complimentary breakfast thrown in for good measure.
Get a sweet, suite deal at Mondrian Los Angeles
Level up your LA vacay with discounted suites at Mondrian Los Angeles—they’re currently 20 percent off and also come with a $25 daily in-room dining credit and guaranteed late check out of 1 p.m. (early check-in is based upon availability; the deal also is subject to availability, and blackout dates may apply). The suites offer travelers a spiffy home base right in the heart of West Hollywood, and the property’s dreamy rooftop pool is a perfect way to wind down after a day of sightseeing and celeb spotting.
Head to a Belize resort this summer with 30 percent off room rates
Resort group Muy’Ono is kickstarting the summer travel season with its Sea You in Belize sale, allowing visitors to secure rooms at several of its Belize properties for 30 percent off. Bookings must be locked in by April 28 for trips taken before September 30 to qualify. The discount applies to all room types at six qualifying Muy’Ono resorts—including the overwater bungalows at Thatch Caye, rainforest suites at Copal Tree Lodge, treehouses at Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge, family-friendly beach houses at Hopkins Bay Resort, luxury hotel rooms at The Watermark, and the entire private island of Royal Belize.
Save 15 percent or more on spontaneous bookings with Booking.com
Booking.com loves a getaway deal, which comes in handy if you’re still not sure where you’re staying for that last-second trip you’re trying to pull together. The site promises at least—not “up to”—15 percent off qualifying hotels of all price ranges, which are sorted by destination on the site to help guide you to a decision.
Save 20 percent at Omni Hotels on two-night stays
Omni’s Spring Savings offer is crystal clear: At the chain’s participating hotels and resorts, guests can now save 20 percent on bookings of two nights or longer. Book directly through the offer page before April 19 and the deal is done, no additional effort required.
Cruise deals
Sail into savings with 45 percent off Holland America Line cruise fares
Holland America Line’s Anniversary Sale bundles a few special offers into one for travelers who book their cruise by April 30. The highlight of the deal is snagging up to 45 percent off fares for cruises between May 2024 and April 2025, but you can also get up to $300 in onboard credit, a 50 percent reduced deposit, and—on select cruises—you can bring your third and fourth guests for free.
Enjoy all-inclusive amenities on a yacht-style Windstar cruise for $89 per day
Windstar Cruises’ all-inclusive fares allow guests to upgrade to a luxury ocean experience for only $89 more per day per guest, if booked by June 30 and more than five days before departure. This means you’ll get Wi-Fi access plus unlimited alcoholic beverages with gratuities included. Windstar’s yacht-style cruises tour a variety of areas, from the Mediterranean and northern Europe to Tahiti and Central America.
Fly to Europe for free with a 2024 river cruise
Avalon Waterways is enticing Americans to book a European river cruise by offering free round-trip economy airfare from several US cities, and giving passengers $250 off their cruise rate with select itineraries (they’re two separate but combinable offers). To get maximum savings, make sure you read the fine print and choose a qualifying 2024 itinerary—and be sure to book by April 30, even if you’re not traveling till later in the year, since that’s when the offer expires.
Sail the seas with nearly half off Hurtigruten Expeditions cruises
It’s still wave season and you can expect deals on all of your favorite cruises to destinations around the world. For those that book their next Hurtigruten Expeditions trip between now and June 30, savings of up to 45 percent are in your future. You can expect to see these huge discounts on 2024 and 2025 expeditions to Antarctica, Alaska, Greenland, the Galapagos Islands, and plenty more.
If you miss the cutoff for the 45 percent offer, there’s hope for you yet. With some extra planning, travelers can still slash 40 percent off 2025-2026 cruises, and for a limited time, solo travelers can join select cruise itineraries without paying the single supplement fee.
Save 40 percent on a last-minute Croatian cruise
If you’ve seen the photos of Dubrovnik and Split, you know that a visit to the Dalmatian Coast deserves to be on everyone’s bucket list. With Cruise Croatia’s last-minute deals, guests can save up to 40 percent off the booking price of select Croatian itineraries this spring and summer.
See Greece in a new light with big savings on trips from Celestyal Cruises
For wave season this year, Celestyal Cruises is taking you on the trip of a lifetime to Greece. A seven-night Greece and Greek Island cruise is going for as low as $679 per person right now, and you’ll find other Greek cruise fares for as low as $279 per person. Your wallet will certainly thank you for taking advantage of Celestyal’s promotions.
Solo travelers get a room to themselves for cheap with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Traveling alone is a freeing experience, but can come at a steep price if you wind up paying double to secure a room to yourself. Fortunately, solo travelers can now book two-person rooms on select Uniworld river cruises for the price of just one guest, aiming to break down the financial barriers that often deter independent explorers from planning their dream getaway. Current itineraries eligible for the discounted rate last anywhere from 8 to 16 days and span all over Europe—Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Lisbon—they’re all yours to see.
Take your family on a Disney cruise with a 25-percent-off special
Family-friendly Disney Cruise Line is offering between 20 and 25 percent savings on select cruises from ports like Civitavecchia, Italy; Barcelona, Spain; Galveston, Texas; and Port Canaveral, Florida. The cruises on offer include routes all across the globe, on a variety of ships.
Even more travel deals
Earn one free day when you rent an electric vehicle through Hertz
Hertz is rewarding customers for conserving energy this spring, offering one free day for any electric vehicle bookings lasting three or more days. EV reservations that begin on or before June 1 are eligible for the promotion, which requires the code 211326 at checkout. Book at least 24 hours in advance to qualify.
Get up to 25 percent off a car rental—and a free upgrade—when you pay ahead
Avis and Budget’s spring sales mean drivers can get rewarded for paying up front when they book a car rental. Applying at the sister brands’ participating locations between now and the end of the year, travelers will get 25 percent off the time and mileage charges on their bill, and a free upgrade. To redeem, mention the coupon codes on the deals page and watch the perks pour in.
