10 best bargain destinations you might want to visit in 2018

Cities around the world that are currently trending in the right direction for budget fare hunters, and why you might want to visit them in 2018.

New routes and cheaper fares from budget carriers are among the factors leading to more options for travelers seeking domestic and international bargains, according to the travel website Hipmunk.

To pinpoint destinations that may be unusually affordable in 2018 compared to a typical year, Hipmunk analysed the average price for flights leaving from the United States with 2018 departure dates, booked between January 1^st and December 13^th, 2017, and compared it to a similar time frame for flights booked in 2016 with 2017 departure dates.

By analysing the average booking prices for round trips departing from the United States between June 1^st, 2016 and November 30^th, 2017, for flights that departed and returned in 2017, Hipmunk was also able to estimate which month is likely to be the most affordable for these same destinations.

Below are 10 destinations that are currently trending in the right direction for bargain hunters, and why you might want to visit them in 2018.

INTERNATIONAL

The cable car system is part of the expanding infrastructure of La Paz. (Credit: Meridith Kohut for The New York Times)

La Paz, Bolivia

Average 2018 airfare: USD 737, down 26 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: January.

There’s no better time to check out what some call South America’s “coolest city.” A thriving upscale restaurant scene and expanding transit system make La Paz as attractive as ever. Herbivores should budget for a meal at Ali Pacha, which, along with Noma co-founder Claus Meyer’s Gustu, are highlights of the city’s highly-rated roster of restaurants.

The Quan Hoa Dong restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City. (Credit: Quinn Ryan Mattingly for The New York Times)

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Average 2018 airfare: USD 816, down 24 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: January.

Vietnam’s biggest metropolis has no shortage of energy (or Vespas), and you can indulge in all of the banh xeo, banh khot and canh chua you can handle without putting a dent in your wallet. The coffee culture, featuring countless quirky cafes, is not to be overlooked either. You’ll be reminded why Vietnam is the second largest exporter of coffee in the world.

A view of the port in Bergen, Norway. (Credit: David B. Torch for The New York Times)

Bergen and Oslo, Norway

Average 2018 airfare, Bergen: Usd 790, down 16 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: October.

Average 2018 airfare, Oslo: Usd 837, down 9 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: April.

The fjords and waterfalls of Bergen, the second largest city in Norway, draws outdoors-loving tourists. But it’s also a hotbed for New Nordic cuisine and a cultural scene worth exploring.

In Oslo, a recently opened waterfront promenade, Havnepromenaden, with its Sorenga Bridge transformed into a pedestrian park, is one of the reasons to get excited about 2018. Once you get your fill of the capital, consider a scenic drive north on Norway’s scenic remote roads to take in some of the country’s architectural wonders.

The facade of the Casa Vicens, designed by the Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona. (Credit: Lluis Gene/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images)

Barcelona, Spain

Average 2018 airfare: USD 866, down 10 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: March.

The virtues of Barcelona are widely known (the food, the architecture, the culture, the everything). But it can also be a pricey experience, which is why 2018’s lower fares should be considered carefully. There are also ways to save money and still engross yourself in the stunning architecture. Various Gaudí exteriors, like Passeig de Gràcia and Casa Milà, are free to view.

Guido Van Helten’s work in the Collingwood section of Melbourne. (Credit: Jade Byrnes for The New York Times)

Melbourne, Australia

Average 2018 airfare: USD 1,748, down 9 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: August.

If you’ve yet to experience Melbourne’s perse dining and art options, consider taking advantage of the discount. Newer restaurants include Atlas Dining, whose revolving cuisine (the menu changes three times a year) perfectly encapsulates the city’s multicultural dining landscape. April’s Melbourne Art Festival is an annual highlight, but also consider Melbourne’s streets and alleys for a free sampling of the urban art that helps make it Australia’s cultural capital.

INSIDE UNITED STATES

A statue paying tribute to the civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was on the state Capitol grounds in Atlanta in August of 2017. (Credit: David Goldman/Associated Press)

Atlanta

Average 2018 airfare: USD 250, down 18 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: January.

April 4 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, and the state of Georgia is commemorating it with the April launch of the Georgia Civil Rights Trail. The trail will connect various notable civil rights sites, including King’s boyhood home in Atlanta.

“We expect some people will come to Atlanta for a meeting or convention, and they will seek out sites in the area. Other people who are intrigued by the civil rights movement might plan a trip to experience the whole thing,” Kevin Langston, Georgia’s deputy commissioner for tourism, told The New York Times in November.

Mission Concepción, part of the Missions of San Antonio. (Credit: Stacy Sodolak for The New York Times)

San Antonio

Average 2018 airfare: Usd 340, down 16 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: September.

You may have missed some notable happenings in San Antonio over the last several years. Its River Walk was expanded to 15 from three miles in 2013, which connected it to five Spanish colonial missions — which, in turn, were named a Unesco World Heritage site in 2015. In addition, the Pearl District, anchored by the Pearl mixed-use space (formerly the Pearl Brewery) loaded with shops and restaurants, continues to grow. And, as always, remember The Alamo.

A parasail ride on Smathers Beach in Key West. (Credit: Mike Hentz for The New York Times)

Key West, Fla.

Average 2018 airfare: Usd 475, down 16 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: August.

After being battered by Hurricane Irma, the Florida Keys and its USD 1.6 billion a year tourism industry are hoping for a major rebound in 2018. While some Duval Street businesses were damaged by flooding, and a handful of Key West businesses remain closed, the island was spared from the more serious damage. And so Key West is ready and willing to have you enjoy its many tropical pleasures.

The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge over the Ohio River links Cincinnati and Kentucky. (Credit: Andrew Spear for The New York Times)

Cincinnati

Average 2018 airfare: USD 347, down 13 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: August.

The Over-the-Rhine district is at the center of Cincinnati’s resurgence. If you like beer, check out the district’s Brewery Heritage Trail, a walking path that connects some of the city’s oldest breweries, some dating to the 19^th century. Guided tours are available, but you can also do it with the trail’s audio-guided app.

Streetcars are seen on Canal Street in downtown New Orleans. (Credit: Gerald Herbert/Associated Press)

New Orleans

Average 2018 airfare: USD 363, down 8 per cent from 2017.

Best Month: August.

Not that you ever need additional reasons to visit New Orleans, but it’s celebrating its 300^th anniversary in 2018. In the coming year, the city is promising a plethora of special events and the completion of major infrastructure projects, including a makeover of Bourbon Street and an expansion of its streetcar system./.

According to New York Times