WASHINGTON, DC (March 2, 2023) – More Americans are heading abroad this Spring Break. AAA booking data shows international travel this season is up 30% over 2022. Many families are also taking multigenerational vacations. A new AAA survey shows more than 40% of U.S. adults with Spring Break plans are traveling with three generations.
“Families are making up for lost time,” said Paula Twidale, AAA Senior Vice President of Travel. “We’ve seen a spike in international Spring Break bookings. Americans are taking advantage of the strong U.S. dollar and the exchange rate in Europe. Travelers looking for warm weather are flocking to the Caribbean and Mexico or sailing to tropical destinations while enjoying the amenities of a cruise vacation.”
Beach vacations are the most popular among Spring Breakers, according to AAA’s survey. Florida is the top domestic destination with its beaches, theme parks, and cruise ports. Hawaii is another Spring Break favorite, with six unique islands and stunning scenery. AAA tour partner Pleasant Holidays says bookings for Hawaiian hotels and cruises are popular this year, as many travelers are opting for warm-weather beach destinations.
Cruising is making a big splash this year. Ships leaving from Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Tampa – heading to the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America – top the list of AAA cruise bookings for Spring Break. Cruises sailing to Alaska, Canada, Northern Europe, and the Persian Gulf are also seeing a spike in popularity.
Top Spring Break Destinations
Mexican Getaways
- Cancun and Riviera Maya
- Mexico City
Caribbean Vacations
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
European Escapes
- Paris, France
- London, England
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Rome, Italy
- Barcelona, Spain
Unique Cruises
- Bahrain
- Papua New Guinea
- Danube River
USA Hot Spots
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Las Vegas
- New York City
- San Francisco
- New Orleans
Survey Methodology
The survey was conducted February 16-20, 2023 using a probability-based panel designed to be representative of the U.S. household population overall. The panel provides sample coverage of approximately 97% of the U.S. household population. Most surveys were completed online; consumers without Internet access were surveyed over the phone.
A total of 1,196 interviews were completed among U.S. adults, 18 years of age or older. The margin of error for the study overall is 3.8% at the 95% confidence level. Smaller subgroups have larger error margins.
