Spring break travel forecast: What you need to know

(NEW YORK) — Families are gearing up for spring break travel, with 173 million Americans expected to take to the skies in March and April.

Whether you’re packing for a relaxing beach vacation or preparing to explore a new city, here’s what you need to know before heading to the airport:

U.S. airlines expect to carry 173 million passengers from March 1 to April 30 — up 4% from the same time last year, according to Airlines for America.

Airfare for March and April is up compared to last year. The average price per ticket is now $280, which is a 4% increase from the same time last year, according to Hopper.

The cheapest day of the week to fly for both domestic and international travel is Tuesday, according to Expedia. Passengers who fly on Tuesday instead of Saturday and Sunday can save about 15% on average.

The first two weekends of March are the cheapest travel weekends this spring, according to Hopper.

The busiest and most expensive time to fly in the U.S. will be the week of Wednesday, April 2, according to Expedia.

Southwest Airlines said it’s expecting to fly more than 8.2 million passengers between March 8 and March 23. Southwest predicts March 20 will be its busiest day in that time period.

The top destination in the U.S. is Orlando, Florida, followed by Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles and New York, according to Expedia.