> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.smartseniordaily.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # New Data Reveals Destinations Where Affordable Flights Prove to be Consistent - URL: https://www.smartseniordaily.com/new-data-reveals-destinations-where-affordable-flights-prove-to-be-consistent/ - Published: 2026-05-13T09:06:40.000Z - Updated: 2026-05-28T16:00:29.000Z - Description: Deals to Barcelona, Milan and Dublin averaged more than 45% off - Author: Smart Senior Daily Staff - Tags: Travel This is a silver lining inside of a cloud article. If you think of yourself as a *thrifty* traveler, it's right up your aisle. **The cloud is this:** [airfare is spiking](https://www.smartseniordaily.com/summer-travel-forecast-part-1-airfare-prices-surge/). That "cloud" is understandable given fuel prices. **The effect is this:** A new [study](https://talkerresearch.com/why-americans-are-cutting-their-travel-budgets-in-2026/?ref=smartseniordaily.com) recently released by **Talker Research** shows that Americans are scaling back travel spending this year, with 58% planning to spend less than they did last year, according to new research. **The silver linings playbook:** Now comes new data from [**Going.com**](https://www.going.com/deals?ref=smartseniordaily.com) with a "silver lining" – that there are a bevy of destinations in its **annual Cheapest Cities report that reveal not just where airfare** can still be affordable, but how dramatic the gap has become between what the average traveler pays and what a Going member pays. $468 roundtrip to Spain, for example. **Barcelona**, No. 1 on Going's European list, averaged that sub-$500 deal roundtrip for Going members versus the normal economy fare for the same routes of $913\. That’s nearly **50% savings on a single ticket**. [Why Seniors Are Leading the Solo Travel RevolutionIt might appear to be cheaper to make all the trip arrangements yourself, but there are lots of things that you probably don’t factor in.![](https://static.ghost.org/v5.0.0/images/link-icon.svg)Smart Senior DailyGary P Guthrie![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/d9/1a/d91a71e8-ed81-4ec8-8028-ec14ba129b35/content/images/size/w1200/2026/03/SOLO-TRAVEL-1.png)](https://www.smartseniordaily.com/why-seniors-are-leading-the-solo-travel-revolution/) ## The destination shuffle: what's rising, what's falling The in-a-nutshell version of this? Smart Senior Daily asked Going's travel expert Katy Nastro for her take. > **“**We tend to forget that pre-fuel spikes, airfare looked pretty normal when it came to affordability," said Nastro. > "Since March, however, we have been amid turbulent times. Getting a cheap flight feels harder than sticking to a strict budget at a specialty food store. If you're still looking to travel this year, even amid higher prices, there is still savings to be had if you know where to look.” ### There's no place like home **Orlando** holds the No. 1 US spot with low-cost carrier deals as low as $38 roundtrip in the past year against a normal fare of $395, part of a broader cascade effect driven by Southwest's more aggressive fare sales pressuring competitors across its focus cities. ### Is it the pasta *or* is it the luck of the Irish? As we mentioned, in Europe, **Barcelona claimed the No. 1 spot this year, with Milan rising to No. 2 and Dublin coming in at No. 3.** The continued rise of Italian cities reflects a structural shift: competition among European carriers from hubs like London, Paris, and Amsterdam, amplified by new U.S. nonstops to **Naples, Palermo, Catania, Bari, Venice, and Olbia**, has cascaded into more affordable fares across the board. But three places that were on the gotta-have-it list just a year ago have **dropped out of the Top 10 entirely: Amsterdam, London, and Reykjavik** – all casualties of struggling lower-cost carriers and consistently high business travel demand. ### Want to broaden your horizons a bit? **San José, Costa Rica and Guatemala City** scored the top two south of us, reflecting a wider shift toward Caribbean and Central American destinations as airlines fight for leisure travelers on shorthaul routes. For travelers with a specific region in mind: **Tokyo** for Asia, **Auckland** for Oceania, and **Bogotá** for South America. Going deal fares Best Flight Deals *Right Now* Avg. savings vs. typical fares 🌍 Europe 🌎 Intl 🇺🇸 U.S. #1 Best Deal · Europe Barcelona $468 avg Going deal fare 49% off All 10 destinations #1 Best Deal · International Guatemala City $273 avg Going deal fare 58% off All 10 destinations #1 Best Deal · United States Hartford, CT $124 avg Going deal fare 64% off All 10 destinations Prices reflect avg. Going deal fares · Savings vs. typical fare ✈️ Data source These figures come from [Going](https://www.going.com/app?ref=smartseniordaily.com), a flight deal app that has served 2 million members since 2015\. Going combines software and human Flight Experts to find deals and mistake fares up to 90% off — with every alert vetted by their team before it reaches members. *Smart Senior Daily* reports these figures independently and has no commercial relationship with Going. **Methodology note:** Going average economy fares are grounded in average prices for destinations mentioned pre-jet fuel spikes, outside peak windows.