Record-breaking numbers of travelers expected for Spring Break 2024

Spring Break season is upon us. Soon, major beaches and party cities throughout the United States will be packed with students celebrating time away from their studies as the year draws to a close. United Airlines went on record to say this season is expected to be the busiest yet. This comes even as travelers continue to worry about increased costs.

Whether it is called inflation or corporate greed, costs are up across the board. That is especially true when it comes to travel. Hotels, car rentals, attractions, airline tickets – everything is coming in at a more expensive price point. But these increases may not be enough to stop young adults from enjoying a few days of partying and fun.

On Monday, United Airlines revealed it expects to see more than 21 million passengers between March 8 and April 21. That number is up 10 percent compared to the same period in 2023 as reported by Rob Wile of NBC News. Wile’s report goes on to say that the projection from United Airlines equates to approximately 200,000 people per day on average.

Expedia reported increases in travel bookings during the week of April 8. Searches for major cities like Dallas and Austin are up 95 and 90 percent, respectively.

Even as travelers worry about travel prices, the data shows that costs are down.

“It’s been great for consumers,” said Hayley Berg of travel booking company, Hopper. “Pre-pandemic, prices were down consistently for years. It’s something that’s allowed the millennial generation to have travel be something they can do a lot of.”

Berg would also say that increased competition from low-cost options like Spirit Airlines continues to drive costs down in a fashion that was comparable to before COVID-19 ravaged the world.

There are so many places worth visiting during Spring Break. Areas like Mexico and Florida immediately come to mind, but other cities are attractive destinations for young adults with the money to make it happen. It looks like 2024 is shaping up to be a big travel year, with millions taking to the sky for a vacation with friends.