Top Surprisingly Affordable Dream Vacations 2024

International trips are cheaper since air travel connects the world, but you must know where and when to book. Plan your vacation around an off-season to save money. When you don’t have to fight crowds to get to the main attractions, your trip will be better.

Whether you want to visit Australia or Toronto, the expense may surprise you (in a good way). Using Kayak data, here are 11 international destinations that are affordable, from airfare to accommodations:

1. Armenia

Armenia attracts travelers with its vibrant arts scene, luxury shopping, and treasure-filled history museums. Yerevan is a famous tourist destination, but no trip to Armenia is complete without visiting its stunning and rugged countryside. Khor Virap, a 600s monastery 45 minutes from Yerevan, offers mountainous views and historic architecture. The hour-long drive to Garni Gorge, with a Roman temple, is worth it.

Winter is Armenia’s low season. Flights from NYC to Yerevan are lowest in November ($838 round trip), but January through March aren’t much more expensive. January is the cheapest month for three-star hotels at $90 per night.

2. Etyek, Hungary

If you want to learn more about Hungary’s culture, head 18 miles west of Budapest to Etyek, the “vineyards of Budapest.” Since the 18th century, this region has produced crisp wines like chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, like Champagne. Film lovers flock to the town, where “Blade Runner 2049” and “The Martian” were filmed.

Budapest to Etyek takes 30 minutes. Kayak research shows that NYC flights to Budapest are cheaper in September and November and January and April. Outside of summer, round-trip tickets cost $524–$620.

September is the most expensive month to stay in Hungary, but flights are affordable. Stay at a three-star hotel for $160 or less in January, February, or March.

3. Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi has dynamic culture, thousand-year-old heritage, world-famous street carts, Michelin-starred restaurants, and a hint of rainforest from the outskirts. 1 USD equals 25,000 Vietnamese dong, about the cost of a great banh sandwich, so you can live lavishly in this bustling metropolis while sticking to your budget.

The cheapest round-trip flights from NYC to Hanoi are $870 from September to November, when Vietnam’s wet season turns hot and humid into the dry (and tourism) season. This season, three-star hotels cost $125–150 per night.

4. Tunisia

Tunisia is a cheaper Mediterranean vacation option. History, kilometers of sandy beaches, and bazaars with carpets, ceramics, and metalwork are in the country. Some think the Amphitheatre of El Jem is better than Rome’s.

Kayak shows that November is the cheapest month to fly from NYC to Tunis, Tunisia’s capital ($560), followed by September to October and January to May ($608 to $768). Three-star Tunis hotels cost $100–200 per night on Kayak, with the cheapest months being September and December–March.

5. Toronto, Canada

A booming city north of the U.S. border with culture, a diverse culinary scene, and activities for all ages and interests. For its celebrity population, Toronto is known as “Hollywood North” and sometimes confused with the Canadian capital. For a global culinary tour, visit Little Italy, one of numerous Chinatowns, and Little Portugal. Tourists may also enjoy hockey, artisan beer, and the CN Tower for unparalleled city vistas.

Kayak data shows Toronto’s low season is October to March, except for December due to holiday tourism. The cheapest October flights from JFK Airport cost $180. JFK-Toronto direct flights take around two hours.

Downtown hotels are cheaper in January and February, with three-star rooms costing $33. September nights average $371, the most expensive.

6. Madeira, Portugal

More than 600 years after its discovery, Madeira still amazes visitors with its natural beauty. Walk kilometers of craggy coast to experience the Atlantic at its best. The city of Funchal has many hotels with glitter and stiff cocktails. The famous fortified wine named after its island is worth trying.

NYC-Funchal round-trip flights cost $650–$1,100, with the lowest costs in November and January–May. 3 star hotels cost $150 to $330 a night and fluctuate on a similar schedule.

7. Brisbane, Australia

Queensland, Australia’s east coast capital, may be its design capital. Visit QAGOMA or IMA to see Asian-Pacific art. Fortitude Valley has local and international designers’ shops. Australia makes it easy to interact with native wildlife. Meet over 100 animals at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, 20 minutes from the city.

Since Kayak’s cheapest round-trip flight from NYC to Brisbane costs roughly $1,000, Australia isn’t exactly “budget travel” for Americans. It’s cheaper to visit this coastal city than other Australian locations. September, the Southern Hemisphere’s first spring month, is the cheapest month to fly to Brisbane. Three-star hotel stays average $150 from April to July, then rise in August.

8. Panama City, Panama

Explore Panama City’s old quarter’s Spanish-style houses on cobblestones. Try Panamanian food like yuca, plantains, empanadas, sancocho de gallina (chicken stew), and fish soup, then explore the city’s vibrant cocktail scene. Panama City is close to the rainforest if you want to escape the city.

Although Panama is in the Northern Hemisphere, its two seasons are opposite those of the U.S. “Winter” (wet season) runs from May to December and “summer” from December to May. Wet season is cheaper and less comfortable.

Round-trip flights from NYC to Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport cost $339 to $659, with April to June and September to October being the cheapest. Flights are most expensive in December. Between June and September, three-star hotels generally cost under $130 per night.

9. Grand Est, France

French tourists love Alsace, now part of Grand Est. It has fewer tourists than Paris or the Cote d’Azur, so it’s quieter. Kaysersberg, formerly named the French’s favorite village on Le Village Préféré des Français, exemplifies many of Alsace’s charms. It has 13th-century architecture, world-class wine cellars, and robust Alsatian cuisine.

Fly to Grand Est’s capital, Strasbourg, in February or March for the greatest pricing. In off-season, three-star hotels in New York City cost $89 a night and round-trip flights are under $700. Unusually, Kayak lists August and October as Grand Est’s cheapest months for lodging.

10. Guatemala

Guatemala’s natural and historic beauty makes it a Travel + Leisure reader pick. Visitors can explore ancient Mayan sites, traverse mountains and rainforests, or stroll through Antigua, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Guatemala has a vibrant arts scene, intact Spanish architecture, and chuchitos (Guatemala-style tamales).

Kayak offers the lowest flights ($269–344) between May and September. The cheapest month to stay in a three-star hotel is August, when rates average $108 per night.

11. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

The last British colony in the Caribbean to obtain independence (in 1979) may explain why St. Vincent and the Grenadines have trailed behind other major tourism destinations. On the plus, beaches and hikes through lush rainforest to dormant mountains are less crowded.

Visitors fly into St. Vincent’s new Argyle International Airport and take a ferry to the Grenadines. The route leaves Kingstown multiple times daily.

In March, May, and November, NYC round-trip airfares are around $600. Flight fares and hotel accommodations on St. Vincent are sporadically low year-round. Three-star properties cost under $200 per night in January, May, June, August, and December. Accommodation is cheapest in December, when excellent hotels cost $50 a night.