CHICAGO, Oct. 20, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The latest Orbitz® Insider Index breaks down the holiday travel outlook for 2016, including top destinations, average prices, best times to book, busiest airports and Americans’ attitudes toward the most eventful travel season of the year.
According to the Orbitz.com® 2016 holiday survey, 72 percent of Americans are planning to travel at least once between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.1 Orbitz.com also found that travelers would be in a “New York state of mind” this holiday season, with New York City topping the list as the number one destination to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. Warm-weather getaways are also leading the pack; Orlando and Cancun are two of the top sunny destinations for the holidays.2
“Last year, 50 percent of travelers booked their airfare for Thanksgiving by October 28, and 50 percent booked their Christmas airfare by mid-November,” said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior editor at Orbitz.com. “These travelers likely secured some of the best deals on holiday airfare. Prices can rise significantly during the holidays and while some people think they’ll get a better deal if they wait, we’ve actually found the opposite to be true. In fact, this year the best deals on airfare for holiday travel can be found in October, so now is the time to buy.”
Visit http://www.orbitz.com/holidays for a full guide on traveling over the holidays, including fare trends with a calendar of the cheapest days to book flights, info on the busiest airports and top destinations. And for travelers who still need to book holiday trips, Orbitz is spreading the holi-deals with 15 percent off participating hotels using promotion code SEEYALATER. Book by November 20 to save.3
Orbitz.com has identified the Top 10 destinations travelers plan to visit for the 2016 holiday travel season.4
THANKSGIVING TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS5
Orbitz.com Top 10 Thanksgiving Destinations
Rank | Destination | Average Hotel Daily Rate 2016 | Average Airline Ticket Prices 2016 | ||||
1 | New York, N.Y. | $ | 318 | $ | 424 | ||
2 | Las Vegas, Nev. | $ | 122 | $ | 401 | ||
3 | Dallas, Texas | $ | 138 | $ | 395 | ||
4 | Chicago, Ill. | $ | 190 | $ | 376 | ||
5 | Washington, D.C. | $ | 138 | $ | 385 | ||
6 | Atlanta, Ga. | $ | 121 | $ | 338 | ||
7 | Los Angeles, Calif. | $ | 159 | $ | 474 | ||
8 | Denver, Colo. | $ | 118 | $ | 390 | ||
9 | Newark, N.J. | $ | 115 | $ | 422 | ||
10 | San Francisco, Calif. | $ | 164 | $ | 484 |
CHRISTMAS TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS7
Orbitz.com Top 10 Christmas Destinations
Rank | Destination | Average Hotel Daily Rate 2016 | Average Airline Ticket Prices 2016 | ||||
1 | New York, N.Y. | $ | 259 | $ | 408 | ||
2 | Las Vegas, Nev. | $ | 95 | $ | 344 | ||
3 | Chicago, Ill. | $ | 145 | $ | 377 | ||
4 | Denver, Colo. | $ | 141 | $ | 412 | ||
5 | Orlando, Fla. | $ | 177 | $ | 496 | ||
6 | Cancun, Mexico | $ | 378 | $ | 786 | ||
7 | Dallas, Texas | $ | 118 | $ | 367 | ||
8 | Seattle, Wash. | $ | 136 | $ | 344 | ||
9 | Los Angeles, Calif. | $ | 197 | $ | 397 | ||
10 | Phoenix, Ariz. | $ | 156 | $ | 422 |
NEW YEAR’S TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS8
Orbitz.com Top 10 New Year’s Destinations
Rank | Destination | Average Hotel Daily Rate 2016 | Average Airline Ticket Prices 2016 | ||||
1 | Las Vegas, Nev. | $ | 247 | $ | 413 | ||
2 | New York, N.Y. | $ | 462 | $ | 452 | ||
3 | Los Angeles, Calif. | $ | 199 | $ | 440 | ||
4 | Orlando, Fla. | $ | 200 | $ | 363 | ||
5 | Denver, Colo. | $ | 190 | $ | 288 | ||
6 | Seattle, Wash. | $ | 184 | $ | 271 | ||
7 | Orange County, Calif. | $ | 222 | $ | 396 | ||
8 | San Jose, Calif. | $ | 156 | $ | 370 | ||
9 | Newark, N.J. | $ | 152 | $ | 445 | ||
10 | Atlanta, Ga. | $ | 162 | $ | 259 |
Americans’ Attitudes toward Holiday Travel
The Orbitz.com holiday survey also took the pulse of Americans’ opinions on everything from budgets to the most traveled holidays. Below are additional key findings from this year’s holiday travel survey:
For information on Orbitz holi-data, holiday trends, and more visit orbitz.com/holidays.
Promotion Terms and Conditions
1 From the September ’16 Orbitz University of Wisconsin US Traveler Compass Study. Orbitz and the University of Wisconsin Business School’s US Traveler Compass Study surveyed 711 adults 18-64 who are leisure travelers about their future travel intent. This study is done using Google Consumer Surveys.
2 Based on stand-alone and package round trip tickets sold on Orbitz & CheapTickets.
3 Subject to the restrictions set out in these terms and conditions, the 15% promotion code may be applied to a qualifying stand-alone hotel (not a hotel booking in combination with any other product such as flight + hotel, or flight + hotel + car) booked online with orbitz.com between October 19, 2016 12:01AM CT and November 20, 2016 11:59PM CT, for 1 or more nights for travel between October 19, 2016, and March 31, 2017. Qualifying bookings instantly receive 15% off at check-out through the use of the promotion code. Limit one discount per hotel room and one promotion code per itinerary. Customers are limited to two redemptions per promotion code. Exclusions may apply and most major hotel chains are excluded. The promotion code cannot be redeemed against taxes, supplier fees, cancellation or change fees/penalties, administrative fees or other miscellaneous charges, which are the sole responsibility of the customer. Discounts are not redeemable for cash for any reason. Promotion codes are non-transferable, not for resale, and cannot be combined with other offers or used for any booking previously made. Any attempt at fraud will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law. Orbitz reserves the right to change or limit the promotion in its sole discretion. Usual booking terms and conditions apply (see https://www.orbitz.com/p/info-other/legal.htm) All bookings are subject to availability.
4 Rankings for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s based on stand-alone and package flights booked on Orbitz & CheapTickets. Average daily rates and average ticket prices are based on 2016 bookings on Orbitz & CheapTickets through 09.29.16 for travel over the respective holiday.
5 Average airfare and hotel prices are based on Orbitz.com air and hotel bookings as of 9/29/16 for travel from Nov 23 – Nov 28, 2016 vs. the coinciding holiday period last year, Nov 25 – Nov 30, 2015.
6 Busiest airports data based on Orbitz.com standalone air ticket bookings to top 50 airports with arrivals and departures between Nov. 23 - 26, 2016.
7 Average airfare and hotel prices are based on Orbitz.com air and hotel bookings as of 9/29/16 for travel from Dec 22 – 28, 2016 vs. the coinciding holiday period last year, Dec 21 – 27, 2015.
8 Average airfare and hotel prices are based on Orbitz.com air and hotel bookings as of 9/29/16 for travel from Dec 30, 2016 – Jan 3, 2017 vs. the coinciding holiday period last year, Dec 30, 2015 – Jan 3, 2016.
About Orbitz.com
Orbitz.com is a leading travel website where millions of consumers search for and book a broad range of hotels, flights, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages and destination activities. Orbitz.com now offers the groundbreaking Orbitz Rewards loyalty program—the only program where customers can earn rewards immediately on flights, hotels and packages, and redeem instantly on tens of thousands of hotels worldwide. Use the Orbitz Rewards Visa® Card to earn even more rewards. Orbitz.com is the #1 way to book travel on mobile devices, be it using our apps (get them at orbitz.com/mobile) or our smartphone-optimized website (m.orbitz.com), both of which are tailored for smartphones and tablets. Follow Orbitz on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and through the Orbitz Travel Blog. Orbitz.com is owned by Expedia, Inc., one of the world's leading travel companies.
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