The 8 Cheapest Destinations to Fly to in 2023

With summer 2023 upon us, if you haven’t been traveling lately, your wanderlust is probably through the roof (as ours is basically always). Whether you’re itching to go somewhere ASAP or just planning ahead for getting back to school or even away for the holidays, there’s a lot to see and do now. Even better: there’s a lot of cheap destinations to visit in 2023, near and far. The easiest way to find the cheapest places to travel is to be open to new destinations—and these 8 destinations are among the cheapest places to fly right now.

We searched high and low through our databases to find the cheapest places to travel right now so you wouldn’t have to. Here’s 8 cheap destinations for 2023 to book your flights to now!

Which of these is on your bucket list for 2023? 

1. Miami 

Aerial view of the Miami strip looking at the tall hotel buildings, the beach, and the light blue ocean.

Sunny beaches? Check. Beachside cafes and bars? Check. A cool downtown area? Check. One of the cheapest cities to fly to in the US? Yup. Miami has a lot to offer—a hip and trendy city and near-endless beaches means there’s something for almost everyone. Try your hand at water activities like surfing and scuba diving or hit up some of the shopping and posh hotels for a chic weekend getaway. Plus there’s trendy nightlife and art scenes and loads of outdoor festivals. Not to mention tons of good food options! Roundtrip flight deals to Miami from New York start at just $98* right now. What better place to escape for a little getaway?

Flights to Miami from $22* one-way or roundtrip from $72* 

2. New York City

Aerial view over Central Park and New York City. NYC is one of the cheapest destinations for 2023 to fly to.

New York is a destination that everyone should visit at least once. You’ll find a glamorous city with plenty of shows to see, art galleries to visit, parks to explore, delicious food to eat and things to do. With all the things you’ll have to do, it’s no wonder that New York is nicknamed the City that Never Sleeps (and you might not want to ever go to sleep, either!). With roundtrip flights to New York starting at just $67* right now, it’s definitely one of the best cheap places to fly to in 2023. Find the cheapest flights to New York from Boston, Miami, Atlanta, Tampa, Houston and even Denver! 

Flights to New York from $40* one-way or roundtrip from $67* 

3. Los Angeles 

Overlooking Los Angeles from right behind the Hollywood sign at sunset. The sky is yellows, oranges, and blues, and the clouds are purples and pinks.

From stunning beaches to the Walk of Fame and the iconic Hollywood and endless delicious restaurants and cuisines from around the world, Los Angeles packs a major punch when it comes to a vacation destination. Explore for a weekend or stay for a few weeks—you certainly won’t be bored! Luckily, flights to Los Angeles are still pretty cheap right now. Even if you’re flying cross-country, it’s one of the cheapest destinations in 2023 in the US. If you’re flying from the West Coast, find one-way flights from as little as $30* or $55* roundtrip. Or fly from New York and you can still get there and back for under $201*!

Flights to Los Angeles from $30* one-way or $55* roundtrip 

4. Chicago 

Although there’s enough here to keep you busy exploring for years, Chicago is the perfect destination for a long weekend. It’s a very walkable downtown city and has plenty to do for every kind of traveler. Head to a few museums, like the iconic Art Institute of Chicago or perhaps the more obscure Museum of Surgical Science (free on Tuesdays!). On a budget? There’s plenty of free things to do in Chicago as well! Enjoy a walk or bike ride along the Chicago River. And don’t forget to snap a good selfie with the Chicago Bean! From New York, flights start at just $138* roundtrip, so it’s definitely one of the cheapest destinations for 2023!

Flights to Chicago from $47* one-way or $55* roundtrip

5. Dallas

One of the cheapest destinations for 2023, Dallas skyline reflected in Trinity river at sunset, Texas.

Dallas is known for cowboy boots, great food, and arts. The city has plenty of great eats for you to choose from, with the best of the best being tacos and BBQ. Or if you’re 21+ head down to McKinney Avenue where you’ll find Dallas’s best bars to hop between. Once your stomach is satisfied, check out the city’s urban arts district or just enjoy the generally fantastic weather. Average high temps in Dallas in the summer are in the 90s with lows in the 70s. Some of our fav outdoor activities (perfect for enjoying that weather) are exploring the Dallas Zoo, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, or one of the city’s farmers markets.

Flights to Dallas from $49* one-way or $67* roundtrip

6. San Juan, Puerto Rico

The town of San Juan, Puerto Rico with the ocean to the right and green grass and colorful buildings ahead.

No passport? No problem! Puerto Rico is a US territory, so you won’t need a passport to enter. Since it’s quite close to Miami, it’s also one of the cheapest countries to fly to from the US. However, with a unique culture and a lot of history tucked away in the capital city of San Juan, it feels totally new. Of course, the colorful beachfront port town and warm Caribbean waters make it easy to add San Juan to your bucket list. But don’t forget Old San Juan, too. The historic quarter of town is filled with colorful streets and buildings dating back to the 16th-century, including two fortresses providing some of the best ocean views around. Even better, prices from New York and Fort Lauderdale start around $161* roundtrip right now—not bad for a weekend getaway

Flights to San Juan from $67* one-way or $148* roundtrip 

7. Phoenix

Dusk with yellow sky and dark clouds in Phoenix, Arizona, overlooking the city and the mountains behind it. Phoenix is one of the cheapest destinations for 2023.

Thinking you just need a little more sunshine in your life? Phoenix will offer you enough sunshine and warm weather to fill that little soul of yours. The city is the perfect destination for those that want to check out the outdoors. From rock climbing, hiking, and exploring nearby National Parks, the area has everything you could ask for outdoors. More of an indoorsy person? That’s great too! Explore Phoenix’s museums, breweries, spas, and shopping areas. You can still view those mountains in the distance through the windows and enjoy the air conditioning, too!

Flights to Phoenix from $30* one-way or $70* roundtrip

8. Washington, D.C.

Early morning in summer in Washington DC, overlooking the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument.

Need a trip where you can do a lot but spend next to nothing? DC is literally the perfect spot for just that. With tons and tons of museums to choose from you pick if you’d rather look at dinosaurs, art, space ships, animals from pandas and elephants to cows and crocodiles at the zoo, and more – plus all the Smithsonian museums are completely free to access. But there’s plenty else to do too if you have the cash. The Spy Museum is more of an interactive (air conditioned) play area than a museum and student passes are $29 for college students. There are also tons of great food options from brunches to bars in the city, as well as sports and concerts to attend. Our secret top tip for DC: go behind the Lincoln Memorial for sunset. It’s not crowded, you’ll get to watch the sun go down over the Potomac, and get amazing golden hour light for some pictures.

Flights to Washington DC from $21* one-way or $65* roundtrip


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Where is the cheapest place to fly right now?

There’s so many cheap flight destinations from the US. Of course, domestic destinations are often the cheapest. This summer, you’ll find flight deals to cities like Miami, New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, DC and Orlando. Of course, if you want to travel internationally, there’s plenty of cheap flight deals for international destinations as well. Some of the cheapest countries to fly to from the US include Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, the UK and Spain. 

What are the cheapest countries to fly to from the U.S.?

If you’re on a budget, you don’t need to write off international travel. There’s plenty of countries that are easy to visit on a budget. Start with one of these cheap countries to fly to from the US: Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, the UK, Spain, and France.

What are the cheapest domestic destinations to travel to in the U.S.?

With domestic flights starting at as little as $55* roundtrip, there’s no reason you can’t plan a vacation, even if you’re on a ramen-noodle budget. Some of the cheapest places to go right now include Miami, New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Orlando. Need more ideas on where to go? Check out our current flight deals for more of the cheapest destinations to fly right now. 

Ready to book your flights for your next getaway? Get the best prices and student discounts on flights with StudentUniverse.

*All prices were current at the time of writing. However, prices are subject to change, so we can’t guarantee how long these fares will last! All prices shown are for select flights between June 16, 2023 – September 12, 2023.