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Able to chase some adrenaline with out breaking the financial institution? After a decade of monitoring flight offers and visiting one of the best journey journey locations worldwide, I’ve found 2025’s candy spots the place thrills and affordability completely align. In the event you’re dreaming of scaling energetic volcanoes in Guatemala or mountain biking by way of Colombian cloud forests, this yr’s flight traits are working in your favor.
New airline routes and elevated competitors have created some stunning alternatives for journey seekers. I’m sharing 10 locations the place yow will discover world-class journey actions alongside unbelievable flight offers. Every spot affords that excellent mixture of genuine experiences, dependable infrastructure, and routes that gained’t drain your financial savings earlier than you even take off.
- ✈️ Professional tip: Need journey journey offers despatched straight to your inbox? Join Going (it’s free!) to get alerts when fares drop to your favourite home locations. Their free service works nice for mainland US flights, and the premium service finds worldwide journey offers for as much as 90% off!
1. Medellín, Colombia
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $200-450 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: Copa Airways, Avianca, JetBlue
- 🏃♂️ Finest Adventures: Paragliding, mountain biking, mountaineering
- 🌟 Excellent For: City explorers, mountain lovers, espresso cultured adrenaline junkies
Overlook what you suppose about Medellín. Whereas everybody else is combating over $1,000+ flights to European journey spots, Going simply alerted me to offers from Orlando to Medellín for $247 roundtrip on Copa (that’s 58% off regular costs!). Even from main US hubs like Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Going recurrently catches fares below $350. I’ve paid $400 roundtrip in the course of the off season from Boston!
The true magic occurs if you land. Begin your morning paragliding over lush valleys from San Felix (the place thermals are so good, professional pilots prepare), then hit world-class mountain biking trails in Parque Arví by afternoon. The subsequent day? Canyoning in Rio Claro or mountaineering by way of cloud forests in espresso nation.
After visiting thrice now, I nonetheless can’t imagine how a lot journey you may pack into every week right here with out breaking the financial institution!
👉 Professional Tip: Keep watch over Copa Airways offers by way of Panama Metropolis. These layover routes usually provide one of the best worth. Going members persistently get first alerts on these Medellín offers, which normally final 4-5 days. I’ve seen costs as little as $153 roundtrip!
2. Antigua, Guatemala
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $150-450 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: Avianca, United, American Airways
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $50-100 together with guided actions
- 🌋 Finest For: Volcano trekkers, mountain bikers, tradition seekers
Keep in mind when Guatemala felt like a far-off dream for weekend warriors? These days are gone. Price range carriers have remodeled Guatemala Metropolis (GUA) into Central America’s journey gateway, and I’m nonetheless amazed by the offers I’m seeing.
From GUA, it’s a scenic hour’s drive to Antigua, the place I just lately spent over every week testing each journey potential (powerful job, I do know). Right here’s what makes it excellent for thrill-seekers on a finances: you may get up in a 300-year-old Spanish colonial constructing, hike an energetic volcano by lunch, mountain bike by way of indigenous villages within the afternoon, and nonetheless make it again for completely happy hour within the plaza.
In Guatemala, I extremely suggest visiting Pacaya Volcano. For $30, you may hike up an energetic volcano and roast marshmallows over precise volcanic vents. Even higher – for those who’re searching for the final word journey, do an in a single day hike to El Fuego and Acatenango. At night time, the temps go right down to single digits! The views from the highest are completely thoughts blowing.
👉 Professional Tip: Attending to Antigua means flying into Guatemala Metropolis (GUA). Going recurrently spots offers below $300 from main US hubs, however the true steals come from Florida airports. I’ve seen fares as little as $197 roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. The premium and elite service catches these offers first – and belief me, they disappear quick.
3. Banff, Canada
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $150-400 roundtrip to Calgary
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: Air Canada, United, WestJet
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $150-200 together with raise tickets
- 🏔️ Finest For: Skiers, ice climbers, winter hikers
Right here’s a secret that European powder hounds don’t need you to know: you will get world-class winter adventures in Banff for half the worth of the Alps, and the flight offers are getting higher by the month. Not too long ago, Going noticed Boston to Calgary for $173 roundtrip on WestJet (that’s 68% off the standard $550+ fare) – lower than most individuals spend on ski gear!
Let me paint you an image of my excellent Banff day final winter: Morning mountain climbing at Johnston Canyon, afternoon snowboarding at Lake Louise, and night wildlife recognizing alongside the Bow Valley Parkway. Canine sledding, snowshoeing, and even helicopter excursions are accessible and infrequently value lower than a day cross at some European resorts.
What I really like most about Banff is the accessibility. From Calgary airport, you’re a scenic 90-minute drive to journey paradise. The shuttle buses run like clockwork, and also you don’t have to hire a automotive to entry most actions. I’ve completed weekend journeys right here from each coasts, and the time distinction really works in your favor for maximizing mountain time.
👉 Professional Tip: Don’t trouble spending additional for a window seat in your flight to Calgary. Take the 90-minute shuttle from the airport to Banff as a substitute. The mountain views from the Trans-Canada Freeway are WAY higher than something you’ll see from 30,000 toes, and the late afternoon mild hitting the Rockies is pure magic.
4. Bali, Indonesia
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $750-1100 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: EVA Air, Singapore Airways, Japan Airways
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $40-100 together with guided actions
- 🏔️ Finest For: Waterfall chasers, divers, volcano seekers
Assume Bali’s simply yoga retreats and seashore golf equipment? The island’s rugged east and north disguise a few of Southeast Asia’s most accessible adventures. The trans-Pacific flight routes have lastly caught up too, with aggressive carriers, equivalent to EVA Air, driving costs down on routes by way of Seoul and Singapore.
From the terraced rice fields of Munduk to the manta ray-rich waters off Nusa Penida, Bali’s adventures span from mountains to sea. The Mount Batur dawn trek is likely to be standard, however there’s a cause it’s a basic. The views stretch throughout Lake Batur to Mount Agung, and sure, these volcano-cooked eggs on the summit are well worth the early wake-up name!
👉 Professional Tip: E-book your Mount Batur trek straight by way of your guesthouse in Ubud moderately than on-line. You’ll pay about 40% much less, and the native guides usually take extra scenic routes than the massive tour teams.
5. Porto, Portugal
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $400-700 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: TAP Portugal, United, Iberia
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $80-150 together with guided actions
- 🏔️ Finest For: Surfers, hikers, river adventurers
Everybody is aware of Porto for its port wine caves and blue-tiled church buildings, however Portugal’s northern hub is definitely one among Europe’s most inexpensive journey gateways. The Douro Valley’s wild landscapes, the Atlantic’s surf breaks, and the rugged Peneda-Gerês Nationwide Park are all inside straightforward attain of town.
The encircling shoreline affords a few of Europe’s most constant surf, with spots like Matosinhos Seaside excellent for novices and Espinho difficult even veteran wave riders. Inland, the Paiva Walkways allow you to traverse practically 6 miles of wood walkways clinging to cliffs above the dashing river – consider it as Europe’s most dramatic boardwalk. I additionally beloved kayaking by way of the Douro Valley and mountain biking by way of the world’s oldest wine area.
👉 Professional Tip: Going simply noticed TAP Portugal working Chicago-Porto fares for $509 roundtrip (43% off the standard $900+). These TAP offers by way of Lisbon usually pop up with quick layovers that allow you to squeeze in two cities for the worth of 1.
6. Quito, Ecuador
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $350-550 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: American Airways, LATAM, JetBlue
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $100-200 together with guided actions
- 🏔️ Finest For: Mountain climbers, wildlife fans, rainforest explorers
Need to know one of the best factor about flying into Quito? The journey begins earlier than you even land. As your airplane descends into this UNESCO World Heritage metropolis nestled at 9,350 toes, you’ll spot snow-capped volcanoes piercing by way of clouds in each route.
Getting right here has by no means been simpler or cheaper. Not too long ago, Going alerted me to JFK-Quito offers for $367 roundtrip (that’s 43% off regular fares!)
I nonetheless can’t recover from how completely positioned this metropolis is for journey. Climb a snow-capped volcano within the morning, then chase waterfalls in a cloud forest by afternoon. The colonial Outdated City makes an unbeatable base for exploring Ecuador’s greatest locations – Cotopaxi’s volcanic slopes to the south, the misty Mindo forest close by, and even fast flights to the Galápagos that’ll prevent tons of in comparison with reserving from the States.
👉 Professional Tip: Get acclimatized earlier than tackling any high-altitude treks. Spend your first two days exploring Quito’s historic middle, then hit Rucu Pichincha. It’s a neater volcano climb proper from town with one of the best views of Cotopaxi you’ll ever get.
7. Puerto Rico
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $200-400 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: JetBlue, United, Spirit
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $100-200 together with guided actions
- 🏔 Finest For: Rainforest explorers, surfers, cave adventurers
No passport? No downside. Puerto Rico packs a critical journey punch for a vacation spot that’s technically nonetheless the US. Rappel down waterfalls in El Yunque rainforest, kayak by way of bioluminescent bays in Vieques, or dive into the third-longest cave system within the Caribbean. The perfect half? It’s handled as a home vacation spot by U.S. airways, which implies extra routes, higher offers, and 0 immigration hassles.
Over within the northwest, Aguadilla’s cliffs provide world-class mountaineering proper above crystal-clear snorkeling spots. In the meantime, the cave methods close to Arecibo rival something in Central America – suppose underground rivers, rappelling into sinkholes, and correct Indiana Jones-style journey. And with direct flights from most main U.S. hubs, you may go out of your desk to deep within the El Yunque rainforest in only a few hours.
👉 Professional Tip: Going members recurrently catch sub-$200 fares to San Juan from NYC, Miami, and most main East Coast cities. The perfect offers normally pop up 2-3 months out, particularly on Tuesday and Wednesday flights.
8. Anchorage, Alaska
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $300-500 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: Alaska Airways, Delta, United
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $200-350 together with guided actions
- 🏔 Finest For: Mountain explorers, wildlife fans, glacier adventurers
Alaska’s wildest secrets and techniques are immediately a complete lot nearer. Competitors between airways has turned Anchorage into an unexpectedly inexpensive gateway to America’s final true wilderness. A protracted weekend right here packs in additional journey than every week virtually wherever else. I imply, the place else are you able to kayak previous glacier faces within the morning, spot bears in Chugach State Park by afternoon, and nonetheless make it again for dinner at a brewery downtown?
Summer time brings the true magic, with 20 hours of daylight to pack within the motion. Flightsee over Denali, raft Class IV rapids on Six Mile Creek, or hop a bush airplane to distant mountaineering trails the place you’re extra prone to spot a moose than one other hiker. These limitless summer time days imply you can begin with a midnight solar mountain bike journey and finish with a ten PM surf session at Turnagain Arm.
👉 Professional Tip: Not too long ago, Going alerted me to Seattle-Anchorage flights for $296 roundtrip on Alaska Airways. On your first Alaska journey, intention for late August by way of mid-September – it’s my favourite time to go to. You’ll catch the beginning of fall colours in Chugach State Park, northern lights are starting to point out, and the temps are excellent for mountaineering.
9. Iceland
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $300-550 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: PLAY, Icelandair, Delta
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $200-300 together with guided actions
- 🏔 Finest For: Volcano chasers, ice climbers, wilderness photographers
Residing in Boston, I’ve made Iceland my second dwelling. It’s nearer than California and twice as wild. PLAY Airways’ new routes imply I can hop on a Thursday night time flight, sleep over the Atlantic, and get up prepared for journey. Even higher? Break up your European journey with their free stopover program. I’ve turned routine flights to London into impromptu glacier expeditions extra occasions than I can depend!
After a dozen journeys, I can inform you Iceland is hands-down probably the greatest journey journey locations on the planet – you simply have to know the place to go. Skip the crowded south and head straight to my favourite playground – the Westfjords. This forgotten nook of Iceland looks like the sting of the world, the place you may hike alongside arctic foxes within the morning and soak in centuries-old scorching springs by afternoon.
Final summer time, I based mostly myself within the fishing city of Ísafjörður, the place midnight solar hikes to Hornstrandir Nature Reserve grew to become a nightly ritual. The close by Dynjandi waterfall is every thing Skógafoss needs it may very well be, minus the tour buses.
👉 Professional Tip: E-book your inner flights by way of native provider Niceair as a substitute of driving. Their Reykjavík to Ísafjörður route cuts an 8-hour drive into a surprising 40-minute flight alongside the coast, and locals pack these flights, so costs keep cheap year-round.
10. Albania
- ✈️ Flight Value Vary: $500-750 roundtrip
- 🔄 Prime Airline Offers: American Airways, British Airways
- 💰 Common Day by day Journey Value: $50-150 together with guided actions
- 🏔 Finest For: Off-path explorers, peak baggers, coastal adventurers
Keep in mind how Croatia felt 10 years in the past? That’s Albania proper now, besides with higher mountains. This Balkan powerhouse packs extra journey per mile than wherever I’ve been in Europe. I’m speaking peaks that make the Alps look tame, seashores that rival the Mediterranean’s greatest, and historical shepherd paths that also haven’t seen their first vacationer.
Base your self within the mountain city of Theth, the place $30 guesthouses include home-cooked meals and million-dollar views. From right here, you may sort out the notorious Valbona Cross hike sooner or later, then descend down waterfalls the following.
The coastal city of Himarë makes an ideal second base. You’ll discover world-class climbing above empty seashores, with contemporary seafood dinners costing lower than a London espresso. It’s simply one among my favourite journey journey locations in Europe, and when you land, you’ll see why.
👉 Professional Tip: Flying by way of London may appear counterintuitive, nevertheless it’s the important thing to scoring one of the best offers. Going simply alerted me to JFK-Tirana flights for $532 roundtrip on American and British Airways – that’s 44% off the standard $950+ fares. The quick layover at Heathrow is simply sufficient time to swap your mountaineering boots for flip-flops.
Seeking to journey internationally in 2025? Use my low cost code JON20 to save 20% on Going’s Premium Model.
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