11 Surprisingly Affordable Vacation Destinations

The financial uncertainties of tariffs, trade wars and roller coaster stock prices have prompted many Americans to cut spending. But while dining out, home improvements and other non-essential purchases are taking a hit, demand for international travel is surprisingly showing no signs of weakening. Executives from Delta and United airlines report that international bookings from U.S. customers are ahead of last year, and the most recent Portrait of American Travelers from MMGY Global, a travel and hospitality marketing company, indicates the highest interest in travel abroad since 2020. MMGY also notes that, in response to economic concerns, more people are considering bookings during shoulder seasons — windows of time between peak and off-peak travel periods, typically March through May and September through November, when air fares, hotel room rates and other travel costs are generally lower. As budget travelers living on Social Security incomes, this is a favorite strategy of ours, too. In addition to saving money, shoulder seasons are when crowds thin out and the weather is typically fabulous. One of our best money-saving hacks is often overlooked when planning travel. We search for countries with currencies that are struggling versus the U.S. dollar. In these places your money goes a lot further. If the country is generally inexpensive as well, all the better. The challenge is keeping up with shifting global currency valuations. For example, we were able to spend months in Argentina two years ago because our dollars were worth double the official exchange rate. Today that margin has almost vanished. We reached out to travel experts to find out where to get the most bang for your bucks in 2025. Get ready to expand your horizons and stretch your travel dollars with this eclectic collection of countries that span the globe. Click here to read the recommendations from Mercedes Zach of ASAP Tickets, an online travel agency based in Delaware.