Beach trips don’t have to be a splurge. You don’t need a five-star resort, a $1,200 flight, or a spare week’s salary to feel the sand under your feet. With the right timing – and a bit of help from Going – you can fly to some genuinely great beach destinations for under $300 roundtrip.
Some are closer than you’d think. Others might surprise you. I’ve spotted deals to hidden Caribbean coves, pristine Mexican beaches, even Mediterranean shores, all for less than the cost of a weekend in the city. The trick is knowing where these deals tend to pop up, and being ready when they do.
After years of tracking flight patterns, I can tell you these aren’t just lucky finds – they’re regular opportunities for travelers who know where to look. These prices are based on recent deals from major US hubs, let’s check them out!
- ✈️ Pro tip: I use Going to catch these deals as soon as they drop. Their Premium membership lets you snag seats about half off the normal price. The Elite Membership also tracks premium cabin deals, which is perfect for longer beach escapes. I use Going Elite for business class deals – such a game changer!
1. Kralendijk, Bonaire (Dutch Caribbean)
- ✈️ Flight Price Range: $240–$290 roundtrip
- 🔄 Top Airline Deals: JetBlue, American
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: April to early July, or mid-October for fewer crowds and calm water
- 💎 Local Secret: Most people head straight for Sorobon Beach, but the real gem is 1000 Steps Beach – a limestone bluff with unreal snorkeling right off shore. And no, it’s not actually 1000 steps!
I found a deal on Going recently for a nonstop JetBlue flight from JFK to BON for $260 roundtrip. That’s less than half the usual price (which is often over $550) and with zero layovers, it’s a rare find for the Caribbean!
Bonaire isn’t as flashy as Aruba or Curacao, and that’s why I love it. It’s quiet, full of protected marine parks, and one of the best places in the world to snorkel or dive straight from the beach. There’s no mega-resort scene here, just friendly guesthouses, calm turquoise water, and a slower rhythm that hits as soon as you step off the plane. Trust me, Bonaire remains one of the Caribbean’s best-kept secrets.
Rent a car (or a scooter if you’re traveling light), pack reef-safe sunscreen, and swing by Van Den Tweel supermarket for beach snacks and picnic supplies. Then spend your days hopping between Pink Beach, Bachelor’s, and Te Amo.
October is my favorite time to visit Bonaire. The summer crowds are gone, but you still get that amazing Caribbean weather minus the peak-season prices. The diving is incredible year-round (it’s called the shore diving capital of the world for a reason), but fall brings the clearest visibility I’ve seen anywhere in the Caribbean.
Just be aware – Bonaire is at the very edge of the hurricane belt. So, while it does better than many Caribbean islands, but you should always check the weather forecast and book refundable tickets before going.
👉 Pro Tip: Want total seclusion? Head to Lac Cai on a Sunday morning. You’ll find local families barbecuing, pelicans diving into the bay, and maybe a cold Polar beer with your name on it.
2. San Juan, Puerto Rico
- ✈️ Flight Price Range: $100-260 roundtrip
- 🔄 Top Airline Deals: JetBlue, United, Frontier
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: Mid-January to April for perfect weather and peak beach days
- 💎 Local Secret: Skip the crowded beaches near Condado and head east to Piñones. It’s a stretch of coastline where locals go to eat fried snapper, sip cold Medalla, and swim in quieter coves.
San Juan is one of the cheapest beach destinations to fly to from the US, and honestly, it might be one of the most underrated. No passport needed (as an American), warm clear water, and beaches that manage to feel both lively and laid back.
If you want a beach with some personality but not too much fuss, I always recommend Ocean Park. It’s got a casual, local vibe with space to stretch out and watch the kitesurfers do their thing.
For something smaller and more relaxed, try Playita del Condado. It’s hidden under the Dos Hermanos Bridge and feels like a secret even though it’s right near the city. I’ve spent hours there with nothing but a towel and a sandwich from Kasalta.
If you’re up for exploring, check out Punta Las Marías on a weekday. It’s usually empty, and the water’s calm enough to float for hours. San Juan makes it easy to slow down. The beaches are close, the food is unreal, and you’re never more than ten minutes from a piña colada.
👉 Pro Tip: I recently found a nonstop JetBlue fare from Boston to San Juan for $198 roundtrip through Going. Like with any destination, some of the best deals are found in the off season. For San Juan, it’s between August and November, the hurricane season. If you choose to chance it, just make sure to check the weather beforehand and get travel insurance! The good news is that Going tends to find great deals to San Juan year round.
3. Barcelona, Spain
- ✈️ Flight Price Range: $177-$290 roundtrip
- 🔄 Top Airline Deals: LEVEL, Iberia, TAP
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: May-June or September-October, when the beaches are warm but not packed
- 💎 Local Secret: Everyone hits Barceloneta, but I always head north to Platja del Bogatell. It’s cleaner, calmer, and full of space to lie down without someone’s volleyball landing on your towel.
What if I told you one of the best beach destinations to fly to from the US is Barcelona? And that sometimes, you can get there for less than what you’d pay to fly across the States?
✈️ My #1 Hack for Cheap 2026 Flights:
It’s January, so flight prices are climbing fast—but you don't have to pay them. I’m currently seeing roundtrips to Europe for under $300 (deals you won’t find on Google Flights).
Step 1: Join Going.com's Free Plan here. It takes 10 seconds and requires no credit card.
Step 2: If you're doing a big trip this year, grab the 14-day free trial of Premium. You can even use my code JON25 for 25% off.
Seriously, this is the single best money-saving tool I’ve used in 8+ years.
👉 Send me cheap 2026 flights
It sounds fake, but I’ve seen it. Back when I was a study abroad student in Barcelona, there weren’t direct flights from major US cities like there are today. Recently, I spotted a roundtrip fare on Going from Boston to Barcelona for $177 – nonstop, with Iberia. If you’re watching the right routes, these dips do happen, but you really need the Going alerts to capture them.
Barcelona isn’t your typical beach town, and that’s why it’s magic. You get golden-sand beaches just a metro ride from Gothic cathedrals, late-night tapas, and Gaudí weirdness. Spend your morning swimming off Mar Bella, then walk straight to lunch at a chiringuito with grilled sardines and vermouth on tap. I always recommend packing light and staying close to Poblenou. It’s just far enough from the crowds, and walking distance to the best stretches of sand.
Want a quieter scene? Rent a bike and ride out to Playa de la Nova Mar Bella or even farther toward Badalona. The water’s just as warm, but you’ll be sharing it with locals instead of tourists and bachelor parties.
👉 Pro Tip: Going’s Premium membership is perfect for Barcelona deals. Set up a flight alert, and they’ll let you know when fares drop to a reasonable level. I’ve saved an average of $500 per ticket on international routes like this one, and their mistake fare alerts have turned up some wild deals. Even if you don’t see any direct flights to Barcelona, you can find cheap, regional European flights from several major cities!
4. Fort Myers
- ✈️ Flight Price Range: $90–$200 roundtrip
- 🔄 Top Airline Deals: Breeze, JetBlue, Frontier
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: March to early May for warm temps and fewer spring breakers; October for great deals
- 💎 Local Secret: Most people head to Fort Myers Beach, but I always point friends toward Lovers Key State Park. It’s two miles of untouched beach where you can spot manatees and dolphins from shore.
Fort Myers is what Florida beach towns used to be before the high-rises took over. While everyone fights for parking in Miami and pays fortune for hotels in Fort Lauderdale, this stretch of Gulf Coast keeps things low-key and local. The water’s calmer, the sand’s softer, and the vibe is pure Old Florida.
Base yourself in Fort Myers Beach, but the real magic happens on Sanibel Island. Early morning at Bowman’s Beach feels like stepping back in time: no condos, no crowds, just sand dollars and fighting conchs washing up with every wave. The shelling here is incredible. I’ve found perfect lightning whelks and alphabet cones just walking the tide line at sunrise.
I recommend visiting Fort Myers in October (though be flexible and double check the weather). Hurricane season is winding down, temperatures are perfect, and you can actually find parking at Captiva (try that in March!). Grab lunch at the Green Flash, then spend your afternoon beach-hopping up the coast. The water stays warm through November, perfect for swimming and spotting manatees near the mangroves.
Note: Some areas on Sanibel/Captiva are still recovering from recent hurricane damage…so check lodging and beach access before you go.
👉 Pro Tip: I found a roundtrip fare from Pittsburgh to Fort Myers for $98 on Breeze through Going. That’s wild considering this route usually runs closer to $300! Deals like this tend to pop up in spring and fall if you’re flexible.
5. Cancún, Mexico
- ✈️ Flight Price Range: $198-290 roundtrip
- 🔄 Top Airline Deals: JetBlue, United, American
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: November to early March for dry skies and beach weather
- 💎 Local Secret: Take a colectivo (shared van) 20 minutes south to Puerto Morelos. This tiny fishing town has some of the clearest water on the coast, plus the reef is so close you can snorkel straight from shore.
Last on our list, but definitely not least, Cancún is a classic for a reason. It’s one of the easiest international beach destinations to fly to from the US, and those direct flights make it a repeat winner for quick escapes. Cancún is also one of the best starting points for reaching some of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico.
Yes, there are good stretches of sand right in the hotel zone (I’ll always have a soft spot for Playa Marlin at sunrise), but the real magic is just beyond the city. Isla Holbox is a few hours away by car and ferry, but it’s got barefoot streets, hammocks over the water, and sunsets that feel unreal.
Puerto Morelos is closer, way quieter, and still full of reef-rich snorkeling and laid-back cafes. And if you’re up for a longer ride, Tulum and the beaches around Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve are worth every extra mile. For the best mix of price and weather, aim for late November or early December.
I recently saw a $247 roundtrip fare on Going from Houston to Cancún on United, and that kind of deal makes using the city as a jumping-off point even more appealing. With prices like that, it’s hard not to start dreaming about where you can go from there!
👉 My Pro Tip: The ADO bus station at Cancun airport is your secret weapon. For about $5, you can hop on comfortable, air-conditioned buses that run every hour to Puerto Morelos, Playa del Carmen, or Tulum. These buses are how locals travel, and they’ll drop you right in the center of each town.
Beach Deals Checklist for 2026:
- ✅ Watch these hub cities for the best beach deals:
- Caribbean/Mexico: JFK, MIA, FLL, BOS
- Europe: BOS, JFK, EWR, PHL
- Florida: DTW, PIT, ORD, BOS
- ✅ Best months for deals:
- Caribbean: September through November
- Mexico: October through early December
- Europe: May and September-October
- Florida: September through November
- ✅ Money-saving moves:
- Book Tuesday-Thursday flights when possible
- Consider nearby airports (FLL for Miami, SJU for Caribbean)
- Pack light – beach destinations often have higher bag fees
- Mix and match airlines for better deals
- Look for routes where budget airlines compete with major carriers
- ✅ Timing tricks:
- Book international beach trips 3-8 months ahead
- Domestic beach deals pop up 1-3 months out
- Hurricane season (Aug-Nov) means lower prices in Caribbean/Florida
- European shoulder season (May, Sept) saves you 40%+ on flights
Looking to travel internationally in 2026? Use my discount code JON25 to save 25% on Going’s Premium Version.
Global Viewpoint is a personal blog. All content is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional financial, medical, or legal advice.
