CHICAGO, June 25, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fourth of July week will be twice as busy for travel compared to any other week in the summer. According to the Orbitz Insider Index, Chicago is the unlikely number one destination for this year’s holiday – spurred by the Grateful Dead reunion show with cult-favorite band Phish. Additionally, airfare costs across the board are down by 4 percent, offering great savings for travelers regardless of their holiday plans. The latest Index also indicates Thursday, July 2, as the busiest travel day and Sunday, July 5, as the most expensive.
"For patriotic travelers looking to skip long lines and save on airfare, avoiding travel on July 2 and July 5 offers the best bets,” said Jeanenne Tornatore, senior editor of Orbitz.com. “Considering alternative locales to the most popular destinations can also provide the same splash of American culture or the beach retreat that many travelers envision, with less cost and hassle.”
Chicago seems to be this year’s savings exception: with the concert commemorating the 20-year anniversary of the Dead’s final shows in the Windy City, the city is seeing a 122 percent year-over-year increase in hotel bookings and 77 percent year-over-year increase in hotel prices for July 3, 4 and 5.
For those still looking to book a getaway in celebration of America’s birthday, Orbitz.com is helping holiday revelers explore its purple mountain majesties and amber waves of grain by offering customers up to 50 percent off at participating hotels. Book by July 3, 2015, and save on hotels in some of the country’s most popular destinations – Las Vegas, Orlando and Chicago. Visit www.orbitz.com/sales to take advantage of this and other hot deals.1
Highlights from the Orbitz Fourth of July Insider Index
- Airfare is down (-4 percent) on average year-over-year with the biggest decreases noted for Las Vegas (-14 percent) and Los Angeles (-19 percent).
- Rising from number five in 2014 to become the top travel destination in 2015, consumer demand for travel to Chicago is stronger than ever. Hotel prices are up 77 percent for the holiday weekend.
- For travelers on a budget, Orlando continues to be the best deal for families with affordable hotel rates at $129 per night and airfare at $330 on average, the least expensive of the entire top 10 list.
- New York (-10 percent), Las Vegas (-8 percent), and San Francisco (-8 percent) hotels are experiencing a drop in year-over-year- hotel rates, pointing to great Fourth of July deals.
Top 10 Fourth of July U.S. Destinations2
| Rank | Destination | Avg. Airfare 2015 | YOY Change | Hotel Avg. Daily Rate 2015 | YOY Change | ||||||||
| 1 | Chicago, Ill. | $ | 396 | -3 | % | $ | 340 | +77 | % | ||||
| 2 | Los Angeles, Calif. | $ | 428 | -9 | % | $ | 193 | +6 | % | ||||
| 3 | New York, N.Y. | $ | 460 | -1 | % | $ | 242 | -10 | % | ||||
| 4 | Las Vegas, Nev. | $ | 350 | -14 | % | $ | 114 | -8 | % | ||||
| 5 | Seattle, Wash. | $ | 429 | -8 | % | $ | 229 | +5 | % | ||||
| 6 | Orlando, Fla. | $ | 330 | -8 | % | $ | 129 | +5 | % | ||||
| 7 | San Francisco, Calif. | $ | 492 | -2 | % | $ | 260 | -8 | % | ||||
| 8 | Denver, Colo. | $ | 342 | +3 | % | $ | 158 | -6 | % | ||||
| 9 | Washington, DC | $ | 392 | -4 | % | $ | 204 | +13 | % | ||||
| 10 | Boston, Mass. | $ | 431 | +3 | % | $ | 299 | +14 | % | ||||
Orbitz Top Five Great American Getaways
For Americans looking for fireworks, holiday festivities and more without the crowds, Tornatore suggests the following destinations to experience this year, each offering an authentic and unique great American getaway with historical value and patriotic appeal:
Mackinac Island, Mich. provides a beautiful escape back to a simpler time where horse-drawn carriages and bicycles are the only way to traverse the island. Enjoy Mackinac Island’s Star Spangled Fourth to see solider demonstrations, canon firing and more from one of only two remaining all-original Revolutionary War Forts in America.
Charlottesville, VA. is home to Thomas Jefferson’s legacy, nestled along the foothills of the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains. Toast to Independence Day at a celebration and naturalization ceremony at Jefferson’s summer home, Monticello, or at one of more than 30 local orchards and vineyards.
St. Augustine, Fla. finds visitors exploring classic hotels and intimate restaurants in a luxurious romantic setting, as the oldest European settlement in the U.S. Taste the waters of the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park where Ponce De Leon may have landed to turn back the clock or enjoy beautiful vantage points of Matanzas Bay.
Cooperstown, N.Y. is the perfect place to celebrate America’s favorite pastime and the nation’s independence as the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. There’s no time like summertime in Cooperstown with concerts and festival events for everyone.
Cody, Wyo. beckons visitors to roll up their sleeves, dive in to western adventure and explore Buffalo Bill’s town in Yellowstone country. Experience the Cody Stampede which features music, parades, street fairs, fireworks, and rodeos during the first week of July, or go wildlife watching to sight majestic mountain creatures.
1 Book by July 3, 2015 on www.Orbitz.com/Sales and save up to 50 percent on hotels in Las Vegas, Orlando and Chicago. Offers valid at participating hotels only and are subject to availability. Offers vary by property. Minimum night stay may be required, and varies by property. Rules, restrictions, and black-out dates may apply. See property pages for further details.
2 Top 10 July Fourth U.S. Destinations and average hotel prices are based on Orbitz.com bookings for travel from 7/2 – 7/6, 2015.
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Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE:OWW) is a global online travel company using technology to transform the way consumers around the world plan and purchase travel. Orbitz Worldwide operates the consumer travel planning sites Orbitz (orbitz.com), ebookers (ebookers.com), HotelClub (hotelclub.com) and CheapTickets (cheaptickets.com). Also within the Orbitz Worldwide family, Orbitz Partner Network (orbitzpartnernetwork.com) delivers private label travel technology solutions to a broad range of partners including some of the world's largest airlines, bank loyalty programs and travel agencies, and Orbitz for Business (orbitzforbusiness.com) delivers managed travel solutions for companies of all sizes. Orbitz Worldwide makes investor relations information available at investors.orbitz.com.