Use your tax refund for an unexpected vacation this spring

22.03.2024 - 15:07 / thepointsguy.com

With tax season upon us, many Americans are anxious to know what it will mean for their tax payments — and refunds. The good news is that the average tax refunds have been increasing over the past few years, and according to the IRS, that trend is still continuing as of the latest data. This means, there's the potential for even more surprise money to hit your pocket this tax season.

Tax returns vary state to state and person to person, but past data and future estimates can still give taxpayers a sense of what they'll be forking over to the IRS — or getting back as a return — come April. As the data shows, the average refund as of late February is $3,213 — up 4.3% from last year.

Some states also typically have higher averages than other. With data put together from LendingTree for the tax year 2021, residents of Wyoming, Massachusetts, Florida and Washington, D.C., received the largest average refund, at over $5,000. On the flip side, for the same tax year, residents of Maine, West Virginia and Vermont received the smallest average refunds — with numbers in the low $3,000s. While the exact averages for this year will be slightly different, the highest and lowest states usually stay pretty similar.

Each individual will spend their tax refund differently, and some will even use it to pay off their debt or put into savings. But, if you were hoping to put your refund towards travel, we have some great options for you. And really, what better way to celebrate spring (and the end of tax season) than with a trip paid for in full with a tax refund?

Despite the refund amount, you might be pleasantly surprised to see how far it can take you. There are also many sites you can use, such as Going.com and Skyscanner.com, to figure out last-minute vacation deals.

With a more modest tax refund, visitors can still plan an awesome trip, either domestically or abroad. The lowest tax refund is, typically, in Maine, where the average taxpayer saw a refund of $3,144 (based on tax year 2021). With that money, a solo traveler could travel to Cartagena, Colombia. We found nonstop flights from New York City for $669 in May or, if you're willing to have a layover, flights as low as $363.

You could also enjoy Dublin this spring for just $607 round-trip. With close to $2,500 remaining, that could go a long way for accommodations, food and entertainment.

Related: JetBlue plots 'opportunistic' growth in Europe as carrier inaugurates new Dublin routes

Of course, the budget won't go as far for couples, but we were able to find flights to Reykjavik on low-cost carrier PLAY for as low as $387 round-trip. This means a couple can fly across the pond for less than $800 round-trip and enjoy a multi-day trip exploring Iceland. While