If you were really set on staying home for the holidays this year, you now have one less excuse. While demand is up, airfares are down this holiday travel season, according to the Orbitz Insider Index. Orbitz data shows that airfares decreased by 9, while hotel prices stayed relatively flat. Yet 71 of Americans are expected to travel during the holidays, up 6 from last year. Where is everybody headed? Take a look at the charts below to see the most popular holiday destinations 2015 for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.
THANKSGIVING TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS AND TOP DESTINATIONS
*The average price of Thanksgiving airfare to the top 10 travel destinations is $369 (down 9 from 2014) with hotel costs up 5 to an average of $181 in the top 10 destinations compared to 2014. *The busiest day to travel for Thanksgiving is Nov. 25 and the least busy travel day is Nov. 30. *Those interested in Thanksgiving travel on the cheap should consider spending the holiday in Texas with airfare down an average of 11 and hotels down 13 year-over-year.
CHRISTMAS TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS AND TOP DESTINATIONS
*The average price of Christmas airfare is $493 (down 4 from 2014) with hotel costs averaging $201 (up 2 compared to 2014) for average daily hotel prices in the top 10 destinations.
*The busiest day for Christmas travel is Dec. 23 while travelers will find the least crowds at the airports on Dec. 27.
*A ski retreat to Colorado may offer the most savings year-over-year with average airfare to Denver down 7 and hotels down 17 on average when comparing to 2014.
As for New Years travel? Orlando is the No. 1 destination for that holiday.
The holiday season is typically a big one for Orlando, as area theme parks gear up for special festivities, and warm weather draws visitors looking to escape the cold. Last year, Orlando was the top-visited destination in the world, welcoming more than 62 million visitors who helped create a $60 billion economic impact for the region.