March is one of the best times of the year to travel because it’s a month of transition. As the season switches from winter to spring, March is a gem of a time to travel before spring break vacations rev up and the unofficial start to the summer travel season during Memorial Day Weekend.
In March, travelers will find lower flight prices, fewer travel crowds, and cheaper hotel prices. Another benefit of traveling in March is the weather — not too cold or hot, and significant weather events like hurricanes remain at a low risk.
Take advantage of the fantastic weather and cheaper flight prices this March. From the Caribbean to Central and South America, here’s where to travel for less than $500 round-trip.
San Juan, Puerto Rico For Less Than $250 Round-Trip
Traveling to San Juan in March is one of the last times of the year to travel before hurricane season, when there are fewer crowds, comfortable weather, and lower prices before hotel and airfare rates peak later in the spring. The city hosts a few festivals in March, including Carnaval Ponceñ or Ponce Carnival. It’s an annual festival leading up to Ash Wednesday that usually takes place in early March. The festival is full of colorful parades and activities.
Round-trip flights from Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. are less than $250.
People flying from New York City have the cheapest flight options. Use March 23 through the 27 as your travel dates in Google Flights. At the time of this report, round-trip flights from New York City are less than $90 on Frontier.
Guatemala City, Guatemala For Less Than $250 Round-Trip
March is one of the hottest months to visit Guatemala City. Visitors should expect little to no rain and temperatures averaging around 90 °F. Even with the temperatures, there is plenty to do in Guatemala. Use the weather as an excuse to visit the beautiful waterfalls or cool off in the jungle.
During March, many celebrations around the Catholic calendar mark Semana Santa—Holy Week. The biggest festivals can be found in Antigua and Quetzaltenango. Colorful carpets are placed along the streets, and traditional parades are held every day of the week.
According to Skyscanner, Orlando, Washington, D.C., Miami, Houston, Chicago, New York City, and Durham, North Carolina, are just some departure cities offering round-trip flights for less than $250.
The cheapest flights to Guatemala City this March depart from Fort Lauderdale. Use March 20 through the 27th in Google Flights for a round-trip ticket on Spirit Airlines for less than $160.
Mexico City, Mexico For Less Than $350 Round-Trip
Mexico City is full of life year-round, and March is no different. This means that while most destinations on this list will likely have fewer crowds in March, Mexico City will be the exception. One reason is that there are a ton of festivals happening, including the Vive Latino Festival, Festival Ceremonia, Mexico City Theatre Festival, and Festival of Flowers and Gardens. There is no shortage of excitement throughout March.
Flights to Mexico City this March are less than $350 round trip from San Diego, Washington, D.C., Denver, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Just play around with the dates in Skyscanner for mid-March.
One of the cheapest options departs Orlando. Use March 20 through the 26 in Google Flights for a round-trip flight for less than $215 at the time of this report. The nonstop flight is on Volaris and Frontier.
Cartagena, Colombia For Less Than $350 Round-Trip
One of the best destinations to visit in March is Cartagena, Colombia. The city is a gift that keeps on giving because there is so much to explore, eat, and do, whether you are visiting for the first time or are a frequent flier to Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
A top experience in Cartagena is learning more about Afro-Colombian culture with The Real Cartagena Travel Agency. Guides take visitors on a tour through San Basilio de Palenque – the first free town for Africans in the Americas. The community is unique and precious to Colombia. In 2005, UNESCO declared Palenque a Masterpiece of Humanity’s Oral and Intangible Heritage.
Beyond the history, you can eat your heart out in Colombia and try local delicacies. Book a street food and tasting tour to eat like a local, including guava pastries, arepas, empanadas, and more.
New York City, Atlanta, Charlotte, Tampa, Durham, Orlando, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Detroit, Austin, Miami, and Cleveland, OH are all cities where people can find flights for less than $350 round-trip on Skyscanner. Fort Lauderdale again wins for the cheapest flights this March. In Google Flights, use March 30 through April 5 as your travel dates for a round-trip flight for less than $170.
Panama City, Panama For Less Than $400 Round-Trip
Visiting Panama City in March is a fantastic time. With its Afro-Panamanian population, unique biodiverse landscape, and reputation as the canal capital, Panama has much to share with every traveler.
On Skyscanner, travelers leaving Los Angeles, Boston, Las Vegas, Orlando, Austin, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Durham, North Carolina, and Dallas can find a round-trip ticket for less than $400. Flights from the Washington, D.C., area are the cheapest. In Google Flights, use March 11 through March 19 as your travel dates for a round-trip ticket for less than $240.
