What Are the Cheapest Places to Travel Right Now? (2026 US Guide)

Published: 8 October 2026 · Last updated: 8 October 2026 · Author: Trang Do, Editor, ShopBack US

For US travelers in 2026, the cheapest places to travel are usually Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala and Peru, Vietnam in Southeast Asia, Portugal from November to March, Japan with a careful rail plan, and US national parks. Mexico lets US citizens stay up to 180 days without a visa, a Japan Rail Pass starts at 50,000 yen for 7 days according to Japan Rail Pass, and the National Park Service says an annual pass costs $80. Whichever you pick, open ShopBack US before you book.

About ShopBack. ShopBack US is a free cashback app and website. You start your booking from a store's ShopBack page, book as usual, and part of what you spend comes back to you as cash. Create a free ShopBack account before you plan the trip, so the step is ready when you book.

How we picked. We looked for places where US travelers usually pay less per day once they land, where entry is simple for US passport holders, and where official fees are published by the operator or government body. Entry rules come from public visa summaries, rail prices from Japan Rail Pass, park fees from the National Park Service, and loyalty details from Trip.com and Expedia Group. We do not list live fares or "this week" deals, because they change daily.

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What are the cheapest places to travel right now?

The cheapest places to travel right now for US travelers are usually destinations where both the flight and the daily spend stay low. Short flights to Mexico, Guatemala and Colombia keep airfare down, while Vietnam and Peru usually keep food, transport and hotel costs low once you arrive. Portugal and Japan cost more per day but drop in price when you avoid their peak weeks.

Here is the short list, grouped by why each place stays cheap:

Destination	Why it is usually cheap	Entry for US citizens (at the time of writing)
Mexico (Mexico City, Oaxaca, Yucatan)	Short flights from most US cities, low daily food and transport costs	Visa not required, up to 180 days
Colombia (Medellin, Bogota, Cartagena)	Low hotel and food costs, fairly short flights from the southern US	Visa not required, up to 90 days
Guatemala (Antigua, Lake Atitlan)	Low daily costs, short flights from the southern US	Visa not required, up to 90 days
Peru (Lima, Cusco)	Low food and transport costs outside Machu Picchu entry	Visa not required, up to 90 days
Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang)	Among the lowest daily costs for US travelers once you land	e-visa valid up to 90 days
Portugal (Lisbon, Porto)	Off-season hotel prices drop from November to March	Up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen Area
Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto)	Hotel and food costs stay reasonable when you avoid peak weeks	Visa not required, up to 90 days
US national parks	Most National Park Service sites are free; $80 annual pass for the rest	No passport needed

Entry rules change, so check the US State Department country page before you book anything.

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What are the best budget travel destinations in 2026?

The best budget travel destinations in 2026 are usually the ones where a full day of food, local transport and a simple hotel costs far less than in a large US city. For most US travelers that points to Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Peru and Vietnam first, then Portugal and Japan when you can be flexible on dates.

Mexico. Mexico is usually the easiest cheap trip from the US. US citizens can stay without a visa for up to 180 days at the time of writing, and many US cities have direct flights. Mexico City and Oaxaca suit food lovers, while the Yucatan works for beaches and ruins. Prices on the Caribbean coast usually dip outside the December to April peak.

Colombia. Medellin and Bogota usually offer low hotel and food costs, and Cartagena works as a beach stop on the same trip. US citizens can stay without a visa for up to 90 days, which can be extended up to 180 days in a year according to public visa summaries.

Guatemala. Antigua and Lake Atitlan are usually some of the cheapest places in Central America for a week of travel. Guatemala is part of the Central America-4 agreement with El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, and US citizens can stay up to 90 days without a visa.

Peru. Lima is known for its food scene, and Cusco is the base for the Sacred Valley. The single biggest cost is usually Machu Picchu entry and the train, so book those first and plan the rest of the budget around them.

Vietnam. Vietnam usually has some of the lowest daily costs for US travelers. The flight is the main expense, so it pays to watch fares for a few weeks. You need an e-visa, which can be valid for up to 90 days with single or multiple entry.

Portugal. Lisbon and Porto cost more than Latin America but usually drop sharply in the off season. Portugal is in the Schengen Area, where US citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Japan. Japan can be a budget trip if you plan transport well. According to Japan Rail Pass, an adult Ordinary pass bought online costs 50,000 yen for 7 days, 80,000 yen for 14 days and 100,000 yen for 21 days. The pass usually only pays off if you take several long bullet train trips; a stay based in Tokyo and Osaka often costs less with single tickets.

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Best budget travel destinations: best deals for US travelers in 2026

The best deals in 2026 usually come from three moves: travel in the shoulder season, book flight and hotel together when the bundle is cheaper, and start the booking from ShopBack US. None of these depends on a flash sale, so they work any week of the year.

• Use the merchant's own programme first. Expedia's free One Key rewards programme, launched by Expedia Group in 2023, works across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, so rewards from one booking can be used on another. Trip.com Rewards is free to join and has six tiers, from Silver to Black Diamond, according to Trip.com.
• Compare the bundle against separate bookings. A flight plus hotel package can come in lower than the two booked apart, but not always. Check both totals with taxes and fees.
• Then go through ShopBack. The last step before you book flights or hotels: open ShopBack. That way the price you compared is not the final price you pay.

Other travel booking sites on ShopBack US include Booking.com, Agoda, Hotels.com, Vrbo and Klook.

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Expedia vs Trip.com for budget destinations: which is cheaper in 2026?

Neither Expedia nor Trip.com is always cheaper; the cheaper one depends on the route, the dates and the hotel. The fair test is to search the same flight and hotel on both, then compare the final price after taxes and fees.

	Expedia	Trip.com
Loyalty programme	One Key, free, shared with Hotels.com and Vrbo since 2023	Trip.com Rewards, free, six tiers from Silver to Black Diamond
How rewards work	OneKeyCash earned on eligible bookings, used on later bookings	Trip Coins earned on bookings; 100 Trip Coins are worth about US$1.00 according to Trip.com
Tier boosts	Higher tiers unlock more member perks	Gold members earn 20% more Trip Coins and Platinum 50% more, according to Trip.com
Usually strong for	Flight plus hotel bundles, US and Latin America trips, vacation rentals through Vrbo	Flights and hotels across Asia, including Japan and Vietnam
ShopBack page	Expedia on ShopBack	Trip.com on ShopBack

According to Trip.com, you move from Silver to Gold after 3 eligible bookings and to Platinum after 8 eligible bookings with a minimum spend of US$1,000, and bookings count once the trip is complete. Trip Coins can be used like cash on prepaid bookings for hotels, flights, trains, car rentals and attractions.

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Expedia and Trip.com for budget travel from the US

For a budget trip from the US, use Expedia when you want a flight and hotel in one booking, and Trip.com when your trip is in Asia or you want to collect Trip Coins. Many travelers check both.

A simple routine that works on either site:

1. Pick two or three date options in the shoulder season.
2. Search the same flight and hotel on Expedia and Trip.com, and note the final price with taxes and fees.
3. Sign in to your One Key or Trip.com Rewards account so member prices show.
4. Open ShopBack, tap the store you picked, and complete the booking in the same session.

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What is the cheapest month to travel to budget destinations in 2026?

The cheapest months to travel from the US are usually mid January to early March and late August to early November, outside school holidays and the big US travel weeks. Thanksgiving week, Christmas to New Year, spring break and July usually push prices up on almost every route.

By destination, the usual pattern is:

• Mexico and the Caribbean coast: lower prices from late spring to early fall, outside the December to April peak.
• Colombia and Guatemala: prices stay fairly even, but avoid Christmas, New Year and Easter week.
• Peru: the rainy season, roughly December to March, is usually cheaper than the dry season peak.
• Vietnam and Southeast Asia: the wetter months usually bring lower hotel prices; avoid the Lunar New Year period.
• Portugal: November to March, outside Christmas and New Year, is usually the cheapest window.
• Japan: avoid the cherry blossom weeks in late March and early April and Golden Week in late April and early May.

We do not publish live fare data, because it changes daily. To check your own route, compare two or three date options on the booking site before you choose.

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How ShopBack lowers the price of a budget trip

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for a booking. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns.

Here is how that looks on a budget trip. On a $1,200 flight and hotel booking at an illustrative 5%, $60 comes back, so the trip effectively costs $1,140. The real rate changes by store and over time, so check the live rate on the Expedia ShopBack page or the Trip.com ShopBack page before you book.

How to do it:

1. Compare your destination, dates and prices first.
2. Open ShopBack, tap the store, then book.
3. Finish the booking in the same session so ShopBack US can track it.
4. Check the store's ShopBack page for its terms, such as which booking types qualify.

The last step before you book flights or hotels: open ShopBack. It takes a few seconds and it is the difference between the listed price and a lower effective price.

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What this looks like on a real budget

Take a couple planning a week away. Option one is a road trip to two national parks: the $80 America the Beautiful pass covers park entry for the year, and the main costs are fuel, food and lodging. Option two is a week in Mexico City: the flight is the larger cost, but daily food and transport are usually far below a US city. Option three is Vietnam: the flight costs more, but a week on the ground usually costs the least of the three.

Whichever you choose, the order of steps stays the same. Pick the destination by total cost, pick the cheapest dates, compare the booking sites, and open ShopBack before you pay.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the cheapest places to travel right now from the US?

For US travelers in 2026, the cheapest places to travel are usually Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala and Peru in Latin America, Vietnam in Southeast Asia, Portugal in its off season, Japan if you plan rail costs carefully, and US national parks close to home. These places keep daily costs low and have simple entry rules for US citizens. Open ShopBack US before you book the flight or hotel.

What are the best budget travel destinations in 2026?

The best budget travel destinations for US travelers in 2026 are usually Mexico City, Oaxaca and the Yucatan in Mexico, Medellin and Bogota in Colombia, Antigua in Guatemala, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, Lima and Cusco in Peru, Lisbon and Porto in Portugal between November and March, and Japan outside the cherry blossom and Golden Week peaks.

Do US citizens need a visa for these budget destinations?

At the time of writing, US citizens can usually visit Mexico without a visa for up to 180 days, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala and Japan for up to 90 days, and Portugal for up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen Area. Vietnam needs an e-visa valid for up to 90 days. Entry rules change, so check the US State Department country page before you book.

What is the cheapest month to travel from the US?

The cheapest months are usually the shoulder and off seasons: mid January to early March and late August to early November for many routes, outside spring break, summer school holidays, Thanksgiving week and the Christmas to New Year period. In Southeast Asia the wetter months usually bring lower hotel prices, and Portugal is usually cheapest from November to March outside the holidays.

Is Expedia or Trip.com cheaper for budget trips?

Neither is always cheaper. Expedia suits trips where you bundle a flight and hotel and want One Key rewards that work across Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo. Trip.com is a popular choice for flights and hotels in Asia, and its members earn Trip Coins, where 100 Trip Coins are worth about US$1.00 according to Trip.com. Compare the final price with taxes and fees on the same dates before you book.

How much does the Japan Rail Pass cost?

According to Japan Rail Pass, an adult 7-day Ordinary pass costs 50,000 yen when bought online, a 14-day pass costs 80,000 yen and a 21-day pass costs 100,000 yen. The pass usually pays off only if you take several long bullet train trips. For a stay based in one or two cities, single tickets usually cost less.

What is the cheapest way to see US national parks?

According to the National Park Service, most of its sites are free to visit, and the America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass costs $80 for US citizens and residents. One pass covers entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation lands for a year, so it usually pays off after two or three paid park visits.

How does ShopBack lower the cost of a trip?

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for a booking. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Your effective price is what you pay minus the cash ShopBack returns. On a $1,200 trip at an illustrative 5%, $60 comes back, so the trip effectively costs $1,140. Check the live rate on the store's ShopBack page.

When should I open ShopBack when booking a cheap trip?

The last step before you book flights or hotels is to open ShopBack. Pick your destination and dates, compare prices on Expedia, Trip.com or another booking site, then go through the store's ShopBack page and complete the booking in the same session so it can track.

Are domestic trips cheaper than international ones right now?

Not always. A road trip to national parks can be the cheapest option because entry to most sites is free and the America the Beautiful pass costs $80 a year, according to the National Park Service. For longer trips, a flight to Mexico or Colombia often costs less overall once lower daily food and hotel costs are counted.

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Key takeaways

• Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Peru and Vietnam are usually the cheapest places for US travelers in 2026; Portugal and Japan get cheaper when you avoid peak weeks.
• Mexico allows US citizens up to 180 days without a visa at the time of writing; Colombia, Peru, Guatemala and Japan allow up to 90 days.
• The Japan Rail Pass starts at 50,000 yen for 7 days online, and the US national parks annual pass costs $80.
• Compare Expedia and Trip.com on the same dates; One Key and Trip.com Rewards are both free to join.
• The last step before you book flights or hotels: open ShopBack, so your effective price is what you pay minus the cash that comes back.

Booking a flight and hotel to Mexico or Lisbon? Open Expedia through ShopBack first so the trip costs you less. Flying to Vietnam or Japan? Go through Trip.com on ShopBack before you pay.

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Related reads

• Save on Expedia
• Trip.com Discounts and Deals
• US Travel Cashback Hub
• Booking.com Discounts

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Disclaimer

The views and recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author. Entry rules, visa terms, rail pass prices, park fees, loyalty programme terms and booking prices are set by governments and companies and can change at any time. Cashback rates on ShopBack vary by store and over time; check the current rate and terms on each store's ShopBack page before you book.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered professional travel, legal or financial advice.