Cash-Strapped Spring Breakers Go Domestic

SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 9, 2009 -- Annie Kozakiewicz is leaving today. The Syracuse University senior is heading to Miami with a few friends for spring break, a decision she says was all about the money.

"We don't really have that much money, so we wanted to take a cheap trip," she explained. "We didn't want a spring break where we would have to spend a lot of money -- we're scaling back."

Call it just another sign of a weak economy, but college kids all over the country are feeling the pinch and cutting back on spring break plans. Though some may still head to Las Vegas or Panama City, Fla., lots of cash-strapped students said they planned to stay closer to home.

For April, peak spring break period, airlines have scheduled 8 percent fewer seats than last April on domestic and international flights from the United States, according to USA Today.

"When you travel domestically, the logistics and planning are a lot easier," said Patrick Evans of STA Travel. "It's obviously going to be a lot less expensive, so it's definitely a good option if you're unsure of how the economy is going to go from here on out."

It's that ease that prompted Kozakiewicz to stay in the United States. "It was somewhere warm, it was somewhere close, and I didn't have to get a passport," she said.

Evans predicted that the number of travelers wouldn't change. "The number of students traveling will probably end up being roughly the same, but the destinations definitely are a little bit different," said Evans. "We've seen, for example, Acapulco has dropped off a little bit but we've seen Jamaica pick up those bookings. Miami has been more popular than in previous years."

According to Evans, students booked their trips earlier this year than in the past, in an effort to lock in lower prices. He also said that STA hadn't seen the price increases that usually accompany last-minute bookings.

"Usually as you get closer to the spring break deadline for students, the prices can get as much as $300 more than they were earlier in the booking cycle," he said. This year, those prices have remained pretty much the same. That increase just hasn't happened."

Even those who did travel abroad chose destinations that are easier on their wallets. Syracuse senior Justin Kaufman ditched the cold on Saturday and traveled to Montego Bay, Jamaica, with friends.