Dip in Airfares Give Travelers the Chance to Take an Affordable Labor Day Getaway
CHICAGO, Aug. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Labor Day airfares are down year-over-year to top vacation spots across the U.S. and Europe according to the Labor Day edition of the Orbitz Insider Index. Gas prices are on the rise again but Orbitz data shows travelers can still find better airfare deals to seven of the top 10 most popular Labor Day destinations compared to last year.
Las Vegas, New York and Chicago top the Orbitz Insider Index, which ranks the most popular Labor Day destinations based on hotel bookings. Hot on the heels of the Summer Games, European destinations London and Dublin are also among the most popular spots for Americans to head for the holiday weekend.
"Labor Day is the unofficial end to summer and for many that means squeezing in one more summer vacation before it is back to the grind of school or a normal work schedule," said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior travel editor for Orbitz.com. "With airfares down to so many locations, there's now more incentive than ever to fight the urge for a staycation and maybe go a little farther for the long weekend."
Other highlights from the Orbitz Labor Day Insider Index include:
Airfare is down year-over-year to seven of the top 10 Labor Day destinations, topped by Anaheim (-11 percent), Las Vegas (-9 percent) and Atlanta (-6 percent).
Europe is still hot: London and Dublin made the top 10 list, while Paris (#11) and Rome (#19) were among the top 20 Labor Day destinations.
Anaheim is a top spot for hotel deals, the average daily hotel rate ($117) is down 20 percent year-over-year, the biggest jump of any city in the top 10.
If budget is a top consideration, rooms in Orlando (#8) average at $103 per night making it the best destination on the list to score the lowest price on a hotel room. If price is no object, the most expensive rooms can be found in New York at $218 per night, still a modest rate for the Big Apple.
Orbitz top Labor Day destinations are based on hotel bookings made on Orbitz.com as of August 2, 2012 for travel August 31 – September 3, 2012. Average hotel and airfares are based on the average price of all hotel rooms and airline tickets booked on Orbitz.com as of August 2, 2011 (for 2011 averages) and August 2, 2012 (for 2012 averages) for travel August 31, 2012 – September 3, 2012.
SOURCE Orbitz