As airfares climb and consumer sentiment tightens, travelers hoping to plan a vacation later this year face a daunting market.
However, a newly released analysis of flight data reveals several domestic and international destinations where affordable flights remain consistently available despite surging prices.
The travel deal subscription service Going released its annual cheapest cities report on Monday. The rankings identify the most deal-rich destinations based on 12 months of proprietary flight deal data, taking into account average prices, frequency of sales and the percentage discount off normal economy fares.
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The data provides a roadmap for cost-conscious travelers navigating the last 60 days of noticeable price hikes.
“Predicting airfare is impossible, even for us experts,” a company spokesperson said. “However, we can show travelers where deals have been most consistent over the past year, so their planning has a foundation in real data and insights.”
Orlando is cheapest city in U.S. to visit
The home of Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida, Orlando holds the top spot for domestic travel. Fares to the Florida city dropped as low as $38 roundtrip in the past year. The overall average deal price landed at $147 compared with a normal fare of $395.
This affordability is part of a broader cascade effect driven by Southwest Airlines offering aggressive fare sales and pressuring competitors across its focus cities. Boston and Denver also ranked high for the volume of deals available to travelers. Las Vegas and Charleston, South Carolina, rounded out the top five.
Cheapest cities in U.S. to fly to:
| Rank | City | Going average | Normal price | Number of deals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orlando | $147 | $395 | 72 |
| 2 | Boston | $151 | $435 | 55 |
| 3 | Denver | $156 | $373 | 73 |
| 4 | Las Vegas | $143 | $367 | 65 |
| 5 | Charleston | $129 | $337 | 42 |
| 6 | Tampa | $134 | $354 | 49 |
| 7 | Fort Myers | $141 | $399 | 27 |
| 8 | Hartford | $124 | $346 | 19 |
| 9 | Providence | $136 | $383 | 22 |
| 10 | Seattle | $159 | $379 | 63 |
In Europe, Barcelona claimed the top position this year. The Spanish city averages $468 roundtrip for members compared to a normal economy fare of $913. That gap represents nearly 50% savings on a single ticket. Milan rose to the second spot and Dublin took third.
The continued rise of Italian cities reflects a structural shift in the aviation market. Competition among European carriers operating out of hubs like London, Paris and Amsterdam has been amplified by new United States nonstops to Naples, Palermo, Catania, Bari, Venice and Olbia.
This increased capacity has cascaded into more affordable fares across the board for Italian destinations.
Cheapest European cities to fly to:
| Rank | City | Change | Going average | Normal price | Number of deals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | ↑ 3 | $468 | $913 | 159 |
| 2 | Milan | ↑ 7 | $491 | $988 | 173 |
| 3 | Dublin | ↓ 1 | $480 | $872 | 171 |
| 4 | Madrid | ↑ 1 | $473 | $890 | 156 |
| 5 | Paris | ↓ 4 | $523 | $990 | 177 |
| 6 | Athens | New | $539 | $946 | 108 |
| 7 | Rome | ↕ 0 | $491 | $903 | 168 |
| 8 | Helsinki | New | $444 | $888 | 50 |
| 9 | Venice | New | $525 | $988 | 111 |
| 10 | Palermo | New | $515 | $1,151 | 23 |
Conversely, Amsterdam, London and Reykjavik dropped out of the European top 10 entirely. These cities are casualties of struggling lower-cost carriers and consistently high business travel demand that keeps baseline prices elevated.
For international dedications outside of Europe, San Jose in Costa Rica claims the top spot with an average deal price of $331 against a normal fare of $734. Guatemala City follows closely in second place.
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The international list reflects a wider shift toward Caribbean and Central American destinations as airlines fight for leisure travelers on short-haul routes.
For travelers with a specific region in mind, the report highlights Tokyo for Asia, Auckland for Oceania and Bogota for South America as the most budget-friendly options based on recent deal frequency and pricing.
Cheapest international cities to fly to:
| Rank | City | Change | Going average | Normal price | Number of deals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San José | New | $331 | $734 | 100 |
| 2 | Guatemala City | ↑ 5 | $273 | $660 | 16 |
| 3 | Calgary | ↕ 0 | $241 | $545 | 45 |
| 4 | Montego Bay | New | $344 | $753 | 39 |
| 5 | Liberia | New | $343 | $717 | 94 |
| 6 | Vancouver | ↓ 5 | $255 | $548 | 31 |
| 7 | Bogotá | ↓ 2 | $302 | $656 | 27 |
| 8 | Punta Cana | New | $336 | $700 | 29 |
| 9 | Auckland | New | $793 | $1,511 | 81 |
| 10 | Tokyo | New | $732 | $1,292 | 168 |
| Bonus | San Juan | $272 | $593 | 131 |
Officials for the travel deal website say the current market is volatile for those looking to save on a flight, primarily due to rising fuel costs related to the U.S. war with Iran. But those high prices are recent and travel savings were relatively on-par with previous years prior to the sudden increase.
“We tend to forget that pre-fuel spikes, airfare looked pretty normal when it came to affordability,” said Going flight expert Katy Nastro. “Since March, however, we have been amid turbulent times. Getting a cheap flight feels harder than sticking to a strict budget at a specialty food store. If you’re still looking to travel this year, even amid higher prices, there is still savings to be had if you know where to look.”
For the complete list of cheapest cities to visit in the U.S., Europe and the rest of the world, according to Going, see the links below:
- United States: 12 Cheapest US Cities to Fly to Right Now
- Europe: Cheapest European Cities To Fly Into (2026)
- International: Cheapest International Places to Fly (2026 Update)
