How Canadians can save on summer travel.

This is your cheat sheet to smarter summer travel. Top deals? Snagged. Best weeks to fly? Handled. Trending destinations? You’re about to be that friend who’s always in the know.

While fewer Canadians may be traveling to the US this summer, there’s still so much potential for trips to alternative destinations. We analyzed travellers’ searches for summer getaways to uncover where to go, when to fly and how to stretch your budget further – whether you’re eyeing Victoria Day, Canada Day or a last-minute August escape. All in an effort to help you save hundreds.

Summer 2025 by the numbers:

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Airfare relief: Average prices from Canada are down 4%, with nearly 100 destinations showing declines.

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Holiday weekend savings: Victoria Day flights are 10% cheaper. Canada Day fares are down 8%.

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Cheap domestic flights: Fly to Abbotsford, Edmonton, or Toronto for under $350. Best weeks to fly? May 12 to June 22.

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Hot destinations, cool prices: Asia (-9%) is cheaper than last summer, with spots like Shanghai, China (-14%) seeing even bigger drops.

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Interest is spiking in: Africa (+17% searches) and Central America (+12% searches).

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The big picture.

This summer, some of the most searched spots on KAYAK are also seeing the steepest drops in airfare. Think Sint Maarten (-28%), Martinique (-23%) and Aruba (-18%) – aka iconic Caribbean destinations that are more affordable than last year. Even closer to home, Kelowna and Edmonton are offering double-digit savings.

Our interactive map reveals where prices are falling across the top 150 destinations, helping travellers plan smarter and stretch their summer budgets further.

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💡 Tip: Zoom in to explore price shifts by destination and plan your summer escape with smart, real-time data at your fingertips.

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Best buys of the summer.

Not all travel deals are created equal. This summer, real savings are showing up where it counts.

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2.1 Summer’s cheapest getaways.

Looking for great value? Domestic flights to cities like Abbotsford, Winnipeg and Edmonton are all averaging $320 or less, making it more affordable to explore closer to home.

2.2 The biggest (price) drops of the summer.

Big savings, no fine print. Savings to Sint Maarten, Cabo and Martinique are up more than 20% (that’s hundreds off your ticket price). Even spots like Kelowna and Victoria are cheaper – smart travellers are jumping on the deals.

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Time it right.

This summer, saving money is all about smart timing — and we’ve got the data to prove it. These are the best weeks to travel (and the dates you’ll want to avoid unless you love paying too much and fighting for overhead bin space).

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3.1 Stick to shoulder weeks to save.

For Canada trips, aim for May 12 to June 22, just before the peak travel surge when demand and prices will see a bump. June is the cheapest month overall at $343 for average airfare.

Going abroad? Fly between May 12 and June 15 or August 11 and 31. Fares dip as summer winds down, with international flights averaging $1,268 in August.

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The summer travel hotlist.

Oh them? That’s the popular crowd. These destinations are the hottest, buzziest or most tried-and-true favourites of our travellers. Good news: they’re also (mostly) cheaper.

4.1 Most popular destinations.

Summer travellers are keeping it classic, with seven of the top 10 destinations abroad. Think Paris, London and Tokyo. Bonus: flights to some of the biggest names, like Rome and Lisbon, are down compared to last year.

4.2 Trending flight destinations: Summer’s hottest picks.

This summer, Africa is topping Canadian travellers’ wish lists, with interest up 17% compared to last summer. Destinations like Tanzania and Morocco are leading the charge, offering rich culture, stunning landscapes and growing appeal. With more Canadians looking to explore the continent, Africa is shaping up to be one of the most exciting regions to visit in 2025.

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Hitting the road:

Rental car trends for summer travel.

Plot twist: road trips are having a moment. In Canada, road trip searches are up 5% and rental rates are down 9% – a rare combo. Heading abroad? International rental prices are flat since last summer, but down 18% compared to 2023.

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Asia’s the breakout star:

Interest is up 19%, prices down 5%. And Europe? Let’s just say now’s the time to cruise through Tuscany or zigzag the Amalfi coast in style. TL;DR: It’s the cheapest summer in two years to rent in Asia or Europe. Treat yourself – get the convertible.

5.1 The cheapest pickup locations.

A complex of gothic buildings with pointed roofs and a clock tower in the middle along a grove of lush trees.

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5.2 Rental car hot takes.

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More legroom

SUVs are the trend this season with a 91% increase in searches compared to last summer.

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Pick up where you want

Whether you’re renting domestic or international, it’ll cost you the same to pick up from an airport or in the city.

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Road trip early

Early-bird gets the worm. We found that June is the cheapest month of the summer to rent a car.

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Fly or drive? Let the data decide.

Our Trip Calculator crunches real-time gas, flight, and rental car costs – so you can see what’s cheaper (and faster) before you book. Plug in your route, get the facts, travel smarter.

Find out more

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Looking at holiday weekends.

Holiday weekends usually mean higher prices, but this summer, Canadian travellers are seeing some welcome relief. Airfare for Victoria Day is down 10% compared to last year, and Canada Day fares are down 8%, making it a great time for early planners to score deals.

6.1 Victoria Day

Want the cheapest Victoria Day getaway? Fly out Friday for $289 on average or hold off until Saturday when average fares dip to $281. After that, check out the top destinations where you’ll find the best deals and the places travellers are heading to kick off summer.

View of the city of Mission and the Matsqui Prairie in Abbotsford, BC

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6.2 Canada Day

For Canada Day getaways, the cheapest move is flying out Wednesday, June 25, when average airfare hits $335. Whether you are chasing the best deals or the biggest celebrations, here is where you’ll find the cheapest places to fly for the holiday.

A chair with a fishing rod set at the edge of a jetty in front of a calm lake.

Boats cruising in False Creek towards the Burrard Street Bridge.

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Money-saving tips from KAYAK’s travel expert.

KAYAK’s travel expert Kayla DeLoache knows how to travel smart. As a frequent flyer and mom of two, her go-to tips help you beat the crowds, avoid high prices, and stretch your budget.

Check out her expert tips:

Skip the usuals.

Look for underrated gems – think Kelowna instead of Vancouver, or Porto instead of Paris – for better prices, fewer crowds and a way bigger return on your travel budget.

Double up.

Use KAYAK’s multi-city search to turn one trip into two. Plus, it’s a growing trend. More adventure, more value, fewer loonies.

Catch the first flight out.

Set the alarm. Early morning flights are usually cheaper, face fewer delays and give you more time in your destination. Save cash, save time and maybe even catch a mid-air sunrise.

Don’t guess.

Found a good deal? KAYAK PriceCheck tells you if it’s actually a steal. Found on our app, it shows how your find stacks up against price trends and live data. Data > drama.

Beat the family rush.

Travelling with kids? Dodge the most expensive weeks of summer – late June through early August – and aim for May through early June or late August instead. You’ll find cheaper flights, cheaper hotels and fewer meltdowns at security.

Curious about our numbers? Here’s the proof.

All insights in KAYAK’s Travel Check-in report are based on an analysis of flight searches for the 150 most searched destinations made on ca.KAYAK.com and associated brands between 11-01-2024 and 04-09-2025 for travel dates between 05-15-2025 to 09-02-2025 unless stated differently. Year-over-year data is based on the comparison to the same search dates for travel dates between 05-16-2024 to 09-03-2024.

All flight prices mentioned are weighted average prices for round-trip flights in economy class for the defined travel period, and departing from any airport in Canada. Search and price data are on average and subject to change.

To present price developments over the summer weeks, the average flight prices per full week of summer (Monday to Sunday) from anywhere in Canada and internationally are each calculated.

Insights are based on an analysis of rental car searches made on ca.KAYAK.com and associated brands between 11-01-2024 and 04-09-2025 for travel dates between 05-15-2025 to 09-02-2025 unless stated differently. Year-over-year data is based on the comparison to the same search dates for travel dates between 05-16-2024 to 09-03-2024. Search and price data are on average and subject to change.

Top most searched destinations identified as destinations with the highest search volume out of 150 most searched. Average flight prices, year-over-year comparisons of prices, as a percentage, are calculated for the destinations.

‘Trending destinations’ are defined as destinations with the biggest year-over-year increase in share of search volume. This data is based on an analysis of flight searches made on ca.KAYAK.com and associated brands using the search and travel dates previously mentioned.

In the ‘Holiday Weekend Insights’ section, we delivered our cheapest day to fly, year-over-year changes in flight price, and our cheapest and most popular destinations to travel during Canadian holidays in summer. The two Canadian holidays included are Victoria Day and Canada Day. The search period is the same as the rest of the report, using the travel dates defined below for each holiday:

Victoria Day: The search period is the same as for the rest of the report, for travel dates between 2025-10-05 and 2025-20-05 compared with the period between 2024-11-05 and 2024-21-05.

Canada Day: We considered searches made between 01-01-2025 and 06-01-2025 for travel between 2025-01-06 and 2025-03-07, compared with the same period in 2024.