Spring break expenses, as well as the number of travelers, jumped dramatically between 2024 and 2025, with one in three Americans vacationing this year. University of Iowa students were among these travellers and flocked to destinations around the world to spend their time off.
The average insured trip cost for spring break has risen from $5,485 to $8,306 in just two years — a 33 percent increase. This year’s destinations have been predominantly warmer than previous years, with popular travel spots being Cancun, Florida, and the Dominican Republic.
What’s known as “bucket-list trips,” places an individual would like to take before they die, has also increased this year with countries such as Japan and Italy gaining popularity this spring break by 8 and 6 percent, respectively.
In 2024, Japan saw a record 36.9 million international visitors, including 2.7 million Americans — a 58 percent increase since 2019. The average insured trip to Japan in 2025 cost nearly $10,000.
Mexico and Central America remain popular spots for travelers. According to Road Genius, 16.68 million international tourists visited Cancun during spring break in 2024.
The average cost of a luxury hotel room in the Bahamas during spring break has increased 58 percent, totaling around $623.75 per night. Similarly, Dominican Republic hotel prices have jumped 67 percent, with current rates averaging $587 a night. International flights to the Caribbean and Mexico have risen 3 percent from 2024, displaying prices in the mid $400s.
Most Spring Breakers stayed stateside this year, with 79 percent of itineraries booked for domestic destinations versus 21 percent for international trips. Orlando, Florida, remained the most popular U.S. location for the second year in a row.
Other popular domestic destinations include New York and Phoenix. Airfares for domestic flights have only seen a modest increase of 4 percent compared to 2024, averaging around $280.
Some out-of-state UI students returned to their hometowns to catch up with family and friends. Communications student Eli Cook visited his home city of Peoria, Illinois, and was able to relax from the constant stress of school.
“I went on a lot of long walks and just enjoyed my time off,” Cook said. “It was a good time to relax and reset from the pressure of classes.”
Even though he was vacationing at home in Peoria, Cook said he spent around $300 while on spring break.
Rather than spend money this spring break, some students clocked in to make some. Alexandra Hernandez, a UI health sciences student, spent her time around the Iowa City area and put extra hours at work.
“I worked a bunch. I also got to get outside and go to the gym. I went thrifting with some friends and to the mall. I probably spent about $50 or $60 throughout the week,” she said.
Hernandez had many reasons for not traveling this year, but the current prices on airfare and hotels were a big factor in her decision.
“I just wanted to chill [during spring break]. In my brain, it’s like going on vacation isn’t relaxing … like you’re always doing something. Another reason was because I didn’t have the funds. The vacation spots are always packed anyway, so I’m glad to have relaxed,” Hernandez said.
For student Sai Sandeep Maripala, spring break involved long car trips and beautiful destinations. Maripala drove cross country with friends during his week off.
“My seven friends and I took a road trip. We started in Iowa and went to the Rocky Mountain National Park, to Arches National Park, and so on. It was an eight-day trip covering Utah, Nevada, and the Grand Canyon,” he said.
Maripala enjoyed his time, but the cost did add up in the end.
“It was around $1,000 per person. A lot of the cost went towards the car rentals since we had to get two of them in order to bring all of us,” Maripala said.