Google Flights has revealed the top travel trends at the moment, with Orlando, Cancun, New York, Tokyo, and London being the most popular destinations people are searching for during the holiday season. Looking at flight data departing from US airports between December 22 and January 5, the most popular trips for Christmas and New Year’s Eve include destinations like Tokyo, Orlando, Cancun, Miami, and New York. Tickets are usually cheapest in early October for Thanksgiving travel within the US, according to James Byers, a group product manager at Google.
Orlando seems to be a favorite among travelers, taking the number one spot for Thanksgiving and the number two spot for Christmas and New Year’s holidays. With year-round warm weather and famous theme parks like Disney World and Universal Orlando, it’s no surprise that Orlando is such a popular destination. Cancun, Mexico, also ranked high on both lists, coming in second for Thanksgiving and third for the December holidays due to its sunny weather and beautiful beaches.
New York made it to third place for popular Thanksgiving destinations, likely due in part to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and other seasonal activities like ice skating at Rockefeller Center. Airlines are keeping up with these travel trends by adding new flights to warm and sunny destinations such as St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines by American Airlines. JetBlue and Southwest are also expanding their services to the Bahamas and Puerto Rico to accommodate these travel trends.
Popular destinations for Thanksgiving include Orlando, Cancun, New York, Tokyo, London, Miami, Paris, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Honolulu. For Christmas and New Year’s Eve, top destinations include Tokyo, Orlando, Cancun, Miami, New York, London, San Juan, Honolulu, Paris, and Las Vegas. Travel trends are constantly changing, with airlines adjusting their routes and adding new flights to sought-after destinations to meet the demand of travelers looking for warm and sunny places to spend their holidays.
