By News Americas Now Travel Editor

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Oct. 9, 2026: If cost is the deciding factor in your next trip, the numbers currently favor the Caribbean. U.S. travelers are paying an average of $385 for economy fares to the Caribbean – 32 percent less than the $569 average fare to South America, according to the latest Amadeus-CHTA Caribbean Travel Trends data.

The fare gap comes even as the Caribbean’s hotel sector shows healthy revenue growth. High-season revenue per available room (RevPAR) reached $183 a night, up 5.2 percent year-over-year, while holiday-period RevPAR climbed to $283. Low-season RevPAR, by contrast, sits at $125 – a gap that signals meaningful room for growth and potential value for travelers willing to go in the off-peak months.

Taken together, the data makes a straightforward case: the Caribbean currently offers a shorter, cheaper flight than many South American destinations, without the steep holiday-season price premium that can come with other travel hotspots.

For diaspora travelers weighing a visit home against other options, or for anyone comparing a Caribbean getaway to longer-haul alternatives, the fare and rate data suggest this is a window worth paying attention to – particularly for trips planned outside the traditional December-to-April peak, when both airfares and hotel rates tend to climb.

RELATED: It’s Not Who You’d Expect Flying To The Caribbean Right Now