Source: Airbnb

Key Takeaways

  • Fall has been the most affordable season to travel with price-per-night at its lowest compared to the rest of the year.
  • The top three US states that had the highest percent of stays in the fall were North Dakota, Maine, and Massachusetts.
  • Passion travel continues to play an influential role when it comes to travel this fall.
  • Japan continues to be the top trending international destination for Americans this fall for a second year in a row.

As fall quickly approaches and the leaves start to change, Airbnb is revealing travel trends for this upcoming shoulder season, including data showing that fall1 has been the most affordable time to travel on Airbnb. In addition, we’re highlighting the top cities to get the best deals during the off-season, trending destinations, as well as prime fall escapes that embody the season.

Affordable off-season destinations

From smaller crowds to milder weather, traveling during the off-season has its perks. One of the best kept secrets is how affordable fall travel can be compared to the summer and peak winter months. When comparing price-per-night over recent years, prices during the year tend to be the lowest in the September through November timeframe,2 making this a great opportunity for guests to travel affordably.

When surveying guests about what’s important to them when deciding between booking an Airbnb listing or other accommodations, over 85 percent selected price as a contributing factor.3 With that in mind, fall may be the ideal time to take advantage of these crisp savings.

The cities that saw the most savings for traveling during the fall span all across the US, from the waterfront to the great outdoors. Below are some of the cities4 that had the most savings during fall:5

  • Somers Point, NJ
  • Myrtle Beach, SC
  • Norfolk, VA
  • Panama City, FL
  • West Des Moines, IA
  • Bangor, ME
  • Cheyenne, WY
  • Spokane Valley, WA
  • Erie, PA
  • Omaha, NE

Discover prime fall destinations

Nothing says fall like apple picking, pumpkin patches, leaf peeping, and spooky vibes. It’s no surprise that travelers want to embrace the season by going to these niche destinations that embody that true essence of fall. The top three US states that had the highest percentage of stays during the fall season were North Dakota, Maine, and Massachusetts.6 From stunning foliage to crisp fall air, below are some of the top US cities7 that will “leaf” you in the fall spirit:

  • Salem, MA
  • Bar Harbor, ME
  • Walla Walla, WA
  • Moab, UT
  • Hartford, VT
  • Columbia Falls, MT
  • Mills River, NC
  • Fruita, CO
  • Superior, WI
  • Eureka Springs, AR

The top trending destinations this fall

“Event-cations” are here to stay. Passion tourism has been a key theme for travel this past year and shows no signs of slowing down. When looking at destinations that US travelers are increasingly searching for this fall, it’s clear that they want to sing-along to their favorite artists. The highly anticipated return of America’s pop icon from the European leg of her tour played an influential role on the list of trending8 destinations with cities like Miami Gardens, FL, and Indianapolis, IN making the cut. Americans are also searching for the other side of the Atlantic Ocean to Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest and Brussels, Belgium for various food and wine festivals that take place during fall. Below are four of the trending destinations:

  • Miami Gardens, FL
  • Indianapolis, IN
  • Munich, Germany
  • Brussels, Belgium

However, there’s one country that has remained as the top trending9 international destination for Americans–Japan. Year after year, travelers have continued to seek out its unique blend of tradition and modernity. Fall is the perfect time to visit Japan as the country transforms into a scenic landscape of red, orange, and gold leaves. The temperature is also great for outdoor activities. Thetrending Japanese cities10 searchedby Americans this fall continue to be Tokyo and Osaka.

1. Fall in this newsroom post refers to September, October, November.

2. Based on global Average Daily Rates in 2023 and 2022.

3. Based on feedback from more than 25,000 Airbnb guests surveyed between July 2023 and July 2024.

4. Based on biggest percentage decrease in price per night between June through August 2023 and September through November 2023.

5. Prices are dependent on date and are not inclusive of taxes and fees.

6. Based on percentage of stays in US states for the months of September – November 2023 compared to the rest of the year.

7. Based on percentage of stays in US cities for months of September – November 2023 compared to the rest of the year.

8. Destinations with the highest growth in searches by US users for fall 2024 compared with fall 2023.

9. Based on increased US searches for Japan for fall 2024 compared with searches made in comparable time period in 2023 and 2022 for respective fall dates.

10. Based on increased US searches for fall 2024 compared with fall 2023.

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 1.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

About Airbnb.org

Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.'s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org's charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform.

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