Christmas vs spring break: what the same trip costs
The same 7-night trip costs a median 16% more at Christmas than at spring break from Toronto (19% from Montréal): about CA$530 more for 2, or CA$980 for a family of 4.
We priced the same 7-night trip to 48 destinations in both weeks, Dec 19–26, 2026 and Mar 6–13, 2027: flights, stay, food and getting around, from Toronto and Montréal. All figures CA$.
What else we found
- Not everywhere: from Toronto, 7 of 48 places are cheaper at Christmas, led by New York (19% less), Washington DC (16% less), San Diego (13% less) and Phoenix–Scottsdale (7% less). The steepest Christmas premiums are Phuket (+82%), Bali (+76%) and Curaçao (+71%).
- Flights are only part of the bill: a median 55% of the all-in cost at Christmas and 43% at spring break. The stay is 22%–29%, and food and getting around 20%–26%.
- A family of 4 pays about 1.7–1.8× what a couple pays, not double, because kids share the room. The exception: at Christmas, 11 of 48 places need two rooms for 4 (5 at spring break).
- Flying from Montréal costs a median 7% more than from Toronto for the same trip; Montréal is cheaper for only 6 of 46 places.
Where Christmas costs most, and where it costs less
For 2 adults from Toronto, all-in. Beaches and long-haul trips carry the biggest Christmas premiums. Where Christmas is cheaper, it's the stay: hotel prices in those cities drop over the holidays while flights barely move.
Biggest Christmas premium
spring break → Christmas, for 2
| Phuket | CA$4,230 → CA$7,690 | +82% |
| Bali | CA$4,040 → CA$7,110 | +76% |
| Curaçao | CA$2,320 → CA$3,960 | +71% |
| Singapore | CA$4,960 → CA$8,330 | +68% |
| Cape Town | CA$4,950 → CA$7,890 | +59% |
| Sydney | CA$6,610 → CA$10,200 | +54% |
| Mexico City | CA$2,360 → CA$3,600 | +53% |
| Istanbul | CA$3,190 → CA$4,830 | +51% |
Cheaper at Christmas
spring break → Christmas, for 2
| New York | CA$3,240 → CA$2,640 | −19% |
| Washington DC | CA$3,180 → CA$2,690 | −16% |
| San Diego | CA$4,110 → CA$3,580 | −13% |
| Phoenix–Scottsdale | CA$3,580 → CA$3,330 | −7% |
| Montréal | CA$2,830 → CA$2,640 | −7% |
| Las Vegas | CA$2,580 → CA$2,420 | −6% |
| Dublin | CA$3,880 → CA$3,690 | −5% |
Where the money goes
Median share of the all-in cost, for 2.
| From | Week | Flights | Stay | Food & getting around |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto | Christmas | 55% | 22% | 20% |
| Toronto | Spring break | 43% | 29% | 26% |
| Montréal | Christmas | 59% | 19% | 19% |
| Montréal | Spring break | 47% | 27% | 24% |
All 48 destinations from Toronto
| For 2, all-in | Christmas | Spring break | Christmas vs spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | CA$4,910 | CA$4,100 | +20% |
| Aruba | CA$2,870 | CA$2,330 | +23% |
| Athens | CA$3,990 | CA$3,630 | +10% |
| Bali | CA$7,110 | CA$4,040 | +76% |
| Bangkok | CA$6,500 | CA$4,310 | +51% |
| Barcelona | CA$4,560 | CA$4,150 | +10% |
| Boston | CA$3,300 | CA$3,270 | +1% |
| Calgary–Banff | CA$4,060 | CA$3,280 | +24% |
| Cancún | CA$3,190 | CA$2,210 | +44% |
| Cape Town | CA$7,890 | CA$4,950 | +59% |
| Curaçao | CA$3,960 | CA$2,320 | +71% |
| Delhi | CA$5,640 | CA$4,090 | +38% |
| Dubai | CA$6,500 | CA$5,210 | +25% |
| Dublin | CA$3,690 | CA$3,880 | −5% |
| Fort Lauderdale | CA$3,510 | CA$3,510 | −0% |
| Halifax | CA$3,150 | CA$2,730 | +15% |
| Honolulu | CA$4,490 | CA$3,930 | +14% |
| Istanbul | CA$4,830 | CA$3,190 | +51% |
| Las Vegas | CA$2,420 | CA$2,580 | −6% |
| Liberia (Costa Rica) | CA$2,330 | CA$2,310 | +1% |
| Lisbon | CA$3,710 | CA$3,410 | +9% |
| London | CA$5,460 | CA$3,940 | +39% |
| Los Angeles | CA$3,850 | CA$3,700 | +4% |
| Los Cabos | CA$2,840 | CA$2,570 | +10% |
| Mexico City | CA$3,600 | CA$2,360 | +53% |
| Miami | CA$3,990 | CA$3,460 | +15% |
| Montego Bay | CA$3,030 | CA$2,050 | +48% |
| Montréal | CA$2,640 | CA$2,830 | −7% |
| Nassau | CA$3,010 | CA$2,840 | +6% |
| New York | CA$2,640 | CA$3,240 | −19% |
| Orlando | CA$3,030 | CA$2,580 | +17% |
| Paris | CA$5,520 | CA$3,900 | +41% |
| Phoenix–Scottsdale | CA$3,330 | CA$3,580 | −7% |
| Phuket | CA$7,690 | CA$4,230 | +82% |
| Puerto Vallarta | CA$3,020 | CA$2,330 | +30% |
| Punta Cana | CA$3,160 | CA$2,190 | +44% |
| Québec City | CA$3,500 | CA$3,150 | +11% |
| Reykjavík | CA$4,460 | CA$4,430 | +1% |
| Rome | CA$4,520 | CA$4,110 | +10% |
| San Diego | CA$3,580 | CA$4,110 | −13% |
| Seoul | CA$6,000 | CA$4,140 | +45% |
| Singapore | CA$8,330 | CA$4,960 | +68% |
| St. John's | CA$3,560 | CA$3,310 | +8% |
| Sydney | CA$10,200 | CA$6,610 | +54% |
| Tampa | CA$3,390 | CA$2,820 | +20% |
| Tokyo | CA$7,770 | CA$5,670 | +37% |
| Vancouver | CA$3,140 | CA$3,000 | +5% |
| Washington DC | CA$2,690 | CA$3,180 | −16% |
Prices checked Jul 21 – Oct 23, 2026.
All 48 destinations from Montréal
| For 2, all-in | Christmas | Spring break | Christmas vs spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | CA$5,450 | CA$4,500 | +21% |
| Aruba | CA$2,870 | CA$2,870 | +0% |
| Athens | CA$4,410 | CA$3,740 | +18% |
| Bali | CA$4,450 | CA$4,530 | −2% |
| Bangkok | CA$6,730 | CA$3,760 | +79% |
| Barbados | CA$3,680 | CA$2,360 | +56% |
| Barcelona | CA$4,490 | CA$3,680 | +22% |
| Boston | CA$3,740 | CA$3,360 | +11% |
| Calgary–Banff | CA$4,870 | CA$3,710 | +31% |
| Cancún | CA$2,710 | CA$2,390 | +14% |
| Cape Town | CA$7,880 | CA$4,950 | +59% |
| Curaçao | CA$4,010 | CA$2,630 | +52% |
| Delhi | CA$6,000 | CA$3,780 | +59% |
| Dubai | CA$7,090 | CA$5,040 | +41% |
| Dublin | CA$4,060 | CA$4,210 | −4% |
| Fort Lauderdale | CA$3,610 | CA$3,710 | −3% |
| Halifax | CA$3,540 | CA$3,220 | +10% |
| Honolulu | CA$5,100 | CA$4,020 | +27% |
| Istanbul | CA$5,300 | CA$3,310 | +60% |
| Las Vegas | CA$2,790 | CA$2,640 | +6% |
| Liberia (Costa Rica) | CA$2,510 | CA$2,440 | +3% |
| Lisbon | CA$3,780 | CA$3,130 | +21% |
| London | CA$5,500 | CA$4,140 | +33% |
| Los Angeles | CA$3,990 | CA$3,920 | +2% |
| Los Cabos | CA$3,230 | CA$2,650 | +22% |
| Mexico City | CA$4,370 | CA$2,720 | +61% |
| Miami | CA$3,800 | CA$3,790 | +0% |
| Montego Bay | CA$3,700 | CA$2,220 | +66% |
| Nassau | CA$3,190 | CA$2,950 | +8% |
| New York | CA$3,540 | CA$3,310 | +7% |
| Orlando | CA$3,510 | CA$3,190 | +10% |
| Paris | CA$5,850 | CA$3,960 | +48% |
| Phoenix–Scottsdale | CA$3,470 | CA$3,580 | −3% |
| Phuket | CA$8,210 | CA$5,310 | +55% |
| Puerto Vallarta | CA$3,750 | CA$2,450 | +53% |
| Punta Cana | CA$3,530 | CA$2,360 | +49% |
| Reykjavík | CA$5,180 | CA$5,150 | +1% |
| Rome | CA$4,890 | CA$4,300 | +14% |
| San Diego | CA$3,540 | CA$4,170 | −15% |
| Seoul | CA$6,320 | CA$4,160 | +52% |
| Singapore | CA$8,620 | CA$5,480 | +57% |
| St. John's | CA$3,770 | CA$3,460 | +9% |
| Sydney | CA$10,870 | CA$6,740 | +61% |
| Tampa | CA$3,840 | CA$3,390 | +13% |
| Tokyo | CA$6,050 | CA$5,540 | +9% |
| Toronto | CA$2,940 | CA$2,430 | +21% |
| Vancouver | CA$3,580 | CA$3,860 | −7% |
| Washington DC | CA$3,000 | CA$3,440 | −13% |
Prices checked Jul 21 – Oct 23, 2026.
How we worked it out
Each figure is the low end of an all-in range for the whole party: return flights, 7 nights' stay, day-to-day spending and getting around. “For 2” is two adults in one room; a family of 4 is two adults and two children, with a second room where the places we found don't sleep four. Flights and stays are real prices we checked and stored; daily spending is a typical figure for each place.
Both weeks are priced for the same trip from the same city, so the difference is the season, not the itinerary. Medians, not averages, so one very expensive trip can't move the headline. Prices checked Jul 21 – Oct 23, 2026; they move, and we re-check them regularly, so the figures on this page update on their own.
Quote these figures
Free to use with credit and a link (CC BY 4.0). Suggested citation:
TripVerdict, “Christmas vs spring break trip costs from Canada, 2026–27”, www.tripverdict.ca/cost/christmas-vs-spring-break