Spring breakers looking for ‘peace of mind’ trade Mexico for these US spots

Spring break may look a bit different for some travelers this year.

Recent geopolitical escalations like the death of Mexican cartel leader "El Mencho" and the war in Iran upended many people's travels, leaving some stranded from closed airspaces or sheltering in place. Even destinations that aren't necessarily directly impacted or in a conflict zone, like Egypt and Dubai, experienced a "ripple effect" of travel disruptions, Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip, previously told USA TODAY. On Feb. 28, the State Department issued an alert advising "Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution."

With spring break just around the corner, some travelers are rethinking their upcoming international trips. They worry about their safety and feel uneasy about crossing borders. So they're exchanging their plans – even to perennial spring break destinations such as Mexico – for other destinations that may feel safer.

"A lot of people are shaken, and they're just saying, you know what, if I'm trying to go and have peace of mind on spring break, and I can go somewhere else? I'm going to opt for that," said Tyler Hosford, security director at global risk mitigation company International SOS. "It's more this mindset of I'm trying to go, you know, relax, have a margarita and not have to worry about things. Yes, it's safe, but could I just go somewhere else?"

Here's where spring breakers can go this year.

Which spring break destinations are safe for Americans?

It varies, according to Hosford. For destinations in Europe, East Asia and Australia, travel is "still pretty business as usual," he said.

However, travel to parts of Africa and South Asia, such as Sri Lanka or Thailand, has been more affected by the war in Iran. "A lot of travelers from Europe and from the U.S. and Canada will travel through those Middle East hubs," he said, adding that people have to change their connecting flights, likely adding more travel time, too. "People might say, you know what, maybe we'll just postpone."

Mexico's recent civil unrest also put some travelers on edge, with the travel insurance platform Squaremouth reporting a sixfold surge in customer calls specifically about Mexico.

Hosford said he's seeing clients switch spring break trips from Mexico to Hawaii, Florida and other places in the Caribbean.

For the most part, travel to Mexico should be safe, especially if you're staying in a popular resort area. "The parts of Mexico outside of Jalisco, where a lot of the cartel activity was concentrated, are really returning to normal," said Hosford. "Places like Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo, Cancun, some of those are now safe to go to."

Popular spring break destinations 2026

Here are the top trending spring break destinations for March and April, according to Hopper Technology Solutions:

1. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
2. San Juan, Puerto Rico
3. Fort Myers, Florida
4. Sarasota, Florida

Spring break airfare to the Caribbean

The Caribbean is surging in interest with American spring breakers, and here are some of the most-booked destinations on Hopper for March and April, along with average round-trip airfare from the U.S.

• San Juan, Puerto Rico - $300
• Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic - $329
• Punta Cana, Dominican Republic - $402
• Montego Bay, Jamaica - $372
• Kingston, Jamaica - $403