While some people will stay home to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends, others will be traveling. But where are they headed this year and what are the top destinations? Someplace cold? Hot? Snow? Palm trees? A European adventure?

Well, the holiday season begins this week and travel interest is showing a strong upward trajectory.  This is good news for the travel industry and underlines the public’s readiness to get back to travel.

According to leading online travel agency CheapOair, online searches of airline tickets for Thanksgiving and through the holidays are up 72% as compared to searches in August of this year.  Comparing the same period searches for the US to International destinations are up 73%, and searches for international origin to US destinations are up 129%.

The largest US cities are seeing a healthy recovery, with New YorkLos Angeles, and Orlando topping the list for domestic bookings for Thanksgiving travel.  This year’s leading destinations for US travelers:

  • New York City
  • Los Angeles
  • Orlando
  • Las Vegas
  • Chicago
  • Denver
  • Dallas
  • Atlanta
  • Boston
  • San Francisco

Prices

Overall airfares are trending 15% lower than pre-pandemic levels.

Glenn Cusano, Co-CEO and CFO of Fareportal, the travel technology company behind online travel agencies CheapOair and OneTravel, commented in a news release, “We’re pleased to see the surge in interest in travel over the holiday season by both domestic and international consumers.  We want to remind the traveling public to check current travel regulations at their destination, to ensure a safe and seamless travel experience …”

CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing cheap flights and great last-minute flight deals for travelers worldwide. Consumers can book online, on mobile apps for iOS and Android, by phone, or live chat.

Source: CheapOair