There’s no time like the present to begin planning 2020 travel. Cheapism asked the online travel company Hipmunk to analyze its flight booking data and identify destinations that will be significantly cheaper to visit in the coming year than they were in 2019. Thanks to budget airlines and newly opened routes, average flight prices from the United States to many European and Asian cities are experiencing double-digit percentage drops in their median booking price for 2020. Domestically, there are also plenty of bargains to be had, too. Here, ranked in order of price drop from largest to smallest, are 35 destinations that will be more wallet-friendly in the year ahead. (When you do make your plans, remember these 30 Travel Hacks That Will Save You Money.)
Vienna
Price Drop for 2020: 29% Average Booking Price: $1,027, from $1,455 If you’ve always wanted to visit the capital of Austria, 2020 may be the time. This surprising chart topper wasn’t even among the top 20 on last year’s list of destinations where ticket prices were dropping. The newly minted leader of the pack is a legendary destination known for its art and its many palaces, including the lavish, baroque Schönbrunn, a 1,441-room residence that once belonged to ruling the Habsburg family.
Geneva
Price Drop for 2020: 28% Average Booking Price: $823, from $1,148 Also new to the list this year, Geneva comes in at No. 2 on Hipmunk’s list of biggest airfare bargains for 2020. The city is most well-known for being a major banking capital, as well as the location of important organizations such as the Red Cross and the World Health Organization.
Long Beach, California
Price Drop for 2020: 28% Average Booking Price: $200, from $277 Coming in at No. 3, Long Beach provides easy access to Los Angeles, without the hassle of arriving through LAX. On its own, Long Beach provides some notable attractions as well, including being home to the RMS Queen Mary, a ship dating back to the 1930s that’s now a hotel featuring art deco staterooms.
Hanoi
Price Drop for 2020: 26% Average Booking Price: $1,089, from $1,463 Vietnam’s capital is a fascinating, bustling destination featuring a historic Old Quarter, as well as countless temples and the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” a place where American prisoners of war were kept during the Vietnam War. Vietnam is also a country where it’s easy to get a last-minute visa.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Price Drop for 2020: 26% Average Booking Price: $302, from $405 New Mexico’s biggest city, Albuquerque also happens to be experiencing one of the most significant price drops in 2020. Visitors to this Southwestern destination can explore Old Town Albuquerque, which traces its roots back to 1706 and is filled with historic adobe buildings.
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Detroit
Price Drop for 2020: 25% Average Booking Price: $229, from $305 Coming in at No. 6, Detroit’s top attractions include the Henry Ford Museum, the Detroit Institute of the Arts and the Motown Museum. And with its Motown connection, it’s also a bucket-list destination for music lovers.
Brisbane, Australia
Price Drop for 2020: 24% Average Booking Price: $1,257, from $1,654 Brisbane is an up and comer for 2020, according to travel industry insiders, and with more budget-friendly airline ticket prices working in its favor, the year ahead may be a big one for the capital of Queensland. Attractions include a koala sanctuary, rainforest explorations, and the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art.
Singapore
Price Drop for 2020: 24% Average Booking Price: $1,191, from $1,567 An island city-state that has made quite a name for itself in the tourism world, one of the destination’s top attractions is Gardens by the Bay, an urban jungle featuring a 419-foot skyway.
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Charlotte, North Carolina
Price Drop for 2020: 24% Average Booking Price: $309, from $405 The southern city of Charlotte makes its appearance on the Hipmunk list for the first time this year. The varied attractions here include the Levine Museum of the New South, which is focused on post-Civil War history, and Discovery Place, offering hands-on science exhibits.
Bangkok
Price Drop for 2020: 23% Average Booking Price: $822, from $1,068 Rounding out the top 10 in price drops for 2020, Bangkok is a city that needs little introduction. For several years running now, Bangkok has been ranked the top international destination in the world by the Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index, and 2019 was no different. The city attracts more than 20 million visitors a year.
Budapest, Hungary
Price Drop for 2020: 20% Average Booking Price: $787, from $985 A fascinating European destination, Hungary’s capital divided by the Danube is famed for its baroque and neoclassical architecture, as well as its hot springs, which have been attracting visitors since Roman times.
Cebu, Philippines
Price Drop for 2020: 20% Average Booking Price: $842, from $1,053 The most densely populated island in the Philippines, Cebu is a booming tourist destination renowned for its many sugar-white beaches as well as opportunities to go diving, trekking, and indulge in culinary treats ranging from Chinese-inspired dishes to more traditional local cuisine.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Price Drop for 2020: 20% Average Booking Price: $983, from $1,223 Kuala Lumpur is Malaysia’s cultural, financial and economic capital, and its most famous attraction is easily the much-photographed Petronas Towers. The city’s Chinatown and the Batu Caves (located in a 400 million-year-old limestone hill) are some of the additional highlights that make this destination so popular. In 2019, it was the sixth most-visited city in the world, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index.
Phuket, Thailand
Price Drop for 2020: 19% Average Booking Price: $1,349, from $1,669 Thailand’s popular beach hotspot, Phuket is home to rainforests and mountains, too. Visitors can also graze at one of the world’s biggest restaurants at Phuket FantaSea, a cultural theme park. In recent years, the area has been struggling with overtourism and trying to cope with the mounting plastic waste generated by all of its visitors. Bargain airfare in 2020 is not likely to ease the overtourism challenges Phuket is facing.
Related: 24 Beautiful Destinations Threatened By Overtourism — and Where to Go Instead
Sacramento, California
Price Drop for 2020: 19% Average Booking Price: $295, from $364 California’s state capital is also among the top bargains of 2020, coming in at number 15 for the year ahead. Other than hobnobbing with the politicians that descend on the city during the legislative session, Sacramento features the highly regarded California State Railroad Museum, which is focused on the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.
Kailua Kona, Hawaii
Price Drop for 2020: 18% Average Booking Price: $684, from $839 Hawaii is always a popular place to visit, but rarely is it a bargain. The coming year, however, will bring a notable decrease in prices to Kailua Kona, a place where visitors will find white sand beaches and plenty of opportunities for sunbathing, snorkeling, and swimming.
Toronto
Price Drop for 2020: 18% Average Booking Price: $352, from $429 Toronto is one of the most cosmopolitan, artistic, and interesting cities in Canada, and 2020 may be time to pay a visit to our friendly neighbor to the north. Foodies will want to take note, Toronto is home to more than 9,000 restaurants where you can spend the money you’ll save on airfare.
Related: Bucket List Destinations for Foodies
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Price Drop for 2020: 18% Average Booking Price: $1,110, from $1,351 A $1,000+ airline ticket is still no bargain, but at least it’s 18% cheaper than typical prices. So, there’s that. And the savings will likely come in handy in high-rolling Dubai, a city known for its extravagance and luxury shopping, which attracts some of the richest people on the planet.
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Price Drop for 2020: 18% Average Booking Price: $420, from $511 The Dominican Republic has been struggling with image issues over the past year due to a string of tourist deaths, which were later shown to be from natural causes. The destination has since launched a new marketing campaign designed to showcase the island’s beauty. With airline ticket prices 18% cheaper next year, it may be time to check out the Dominican Republic for yourself.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Price Drop for 2020: 17% Average Booking Price: $830, from $996 Given that Ho Chi Minh City is the second Vietnamese city to show up on this list, 2020 may be the time to finalize your plans to visit this fascinating country. Formerly known as Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City is a bustling urban destination located in the southern part of the country and is filled with French colonial landmarks.
Santa Ana, California
Price Drop for 2020: 16% Average Booking Price: $352, from $421 A lesser known Southern California airport location, Santa Ana is about 30 miles from Los Angeles, representing another airport alternative for those visiting the region. The city offers an intriguing weekend getaway on its own with such attractions as the Bowers Museum that features art from around the world and the interactive, kid-friendly Discovery Cube science museum.
Newark, New Jersey
Price Drop for 2020: 16% Average Booking Price: $273, from $325 One of the key airports for flying into the New York City region, travelers can score a bargain by opting for an air ticket to Newark and then finding ground transportation for the 15-mile drive to Manhattan.
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
Price Drop for 2020: 16% Average Booking Price: $552, from $656 A popular beach and party getaway in the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana has become practically synonymous for all-inclusive resort. A visit to this destination is less about authentic cultural experiences and more about sun, sand, and relaxation.
Papeete, Tahiti
Price Drop for 2020: 15% Average Booking Price: $1,723, from $2,021 Even at 15% off, an airline ticket to Tahiti will still set you back nearly $2,000. Still, this legendary destination is a bucket-list trip for many globetrotters, and for good reason. French Polynesia is famed for its remote beauty including stunning beaches, picturesque lagoons, and waterfalls.
Boston
Price Drop for 2020: 13% Average Booking Price: $278, from $318 Ever a popular cultural and history-filled destination, Boston’s top sights include the Museum of Fine Arts, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Fenway Park, and the Freedom Trail, to name just a few highlights. There’s always plenty to see and do in Beantown.
New York
Price Drop for 2020: 12% Average Booking Price: $245, from $279 One of the most popular destinations on the planet (the seventh most-popular destination to be exact, according to Mastercard’s Global Destination Cities Index), flying to New York City is a downright bargain at $245. Use your extra cash to do some shopping while exploring this city of fashionistas.
Related: 20 Top Cities Every Fashion Lover Should Visit
Savannah, Georgia
Price Drop for 2020: 12% Average Booking Price: $340, from $385 The alternative to Georgia’s capital of Atlanta, Savannah oozes Deep South charm, from its period architecture, to the horse drawn carriages and cobblestone squares. Savannah is a history buffs’ dream.
Related: The 40 Best Places in America to Travel Back in Time
Austin, Texas
Price Drop for 2020: 11% Average Booking Price: $289, from $326 The Texas capital has practically become as well known for its music scene as Nashville or Memphis. In fact, with more than 250 music venues, Austin has been dubbed the live music capital of the world. And with airline ticket prices dropping in 2020, it may be time to take in some of that music.
Oakland, California
Price Drop for 2020: 11% Average Booking Price: $247, from $278 Located across the bay from San Francisco, Oakland is an up-and-coming destination, emerging from the shadow of its more famous neighbor. There’s a flourishing food scene here, and its historic and ornate Fox Theater, which dates back to 1928, is a great place to take in a show.
Havana, Cuba
Price Drop for 2020: 11% Average Booking Price: $374, from $420 Cuba’s tourism industry has been struggling amid constantly changing Trump administration regulations surrounding American visitation to the island. The key takeaway here is that visiting Cuba is still perfectly legal and still very easy under the “support for the Cuban people” visa category. Added bonus: Exploring this fascinating destination will be even more affordable in 2020, so there’s no time to waste booking tickets.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Price Drop for 2020: 11% Average Booking Price: $1,114, from $1,248 Overflowing with medieval and classic architecture, Edinburgh is a stunning destination with much to see and do. From Old Town, with its narrow alleys and centuries — old buildings to the Edinburgh Castle (home to Scotland’s crown jewels) and Holyroodhouse Palace, it’s easy to understand why Edinburgh is one of the most popular tourist stops in the United Kingdom.
Reno, Nevada
Price Drop for 2020: 11% Average Booking Price: $379, from $424 Dubbed “The Biggest Little City in the World,” Reno is a destination that’s been carving a definite name for itself. Near Lake Tahoe, the area offers everything from a flourishing craft brewery scene to whitewater rafting and snowshoeing and skiing, depending on the season.
Shanghai, China
Price Drop for 2020: 10% Average Booking Price: $1,027, from $1,142 With 26 million people living here and home to some of the most dizzying skyscrapers in the world, Shanghai certainly has a way of making you feel small. A glittering, old-world-meets-high-tech metropolis, Shanghai is now the biggest city in the world and has also been referred to as the Paris of the East. It is certainly nothing like the Shanghai of a century ago.
Medellín, Colombia
Price Drop for 2020: 10% Average Booking Price: $569, from $631 Medellín — and Colombia as a whole for that matter — is the comeback kid of late. Once infamous for violence and crime, this destination is now experiencing a renaissance and growing in popularity among globetrotters who’ve “been there, done that” with practically every other destination on the planet. The fact that airfare to Medellín is becoming even more wallet-friendly is perfect timing, further ensuring its desirability among travelers.
Jackson, Wyoming
Price Drop for 2020: 10% Average Booking Price: $589, from $653 Rounding out this list of plummeting ticket prices is Jackson, Wyoming, a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. Located in a stunning valley surrounded by mountains, Jackson is a great base for all sorts of recreation, not to mention taking in the abundant wildlife in the area in nearby Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks.
