Travelocity's Independence Day holiday booking data reveals optimistic news for travelers looking to save during the July 4 weekend. While airfare and domestic hotel rates are both on the rise, international travelers will pay less to book a hotel as average rates have decreased nearly 3 percent. Travelocity's data also shows that airfare to eight out of the top 10 most popular destinations for the holiday is less expensive than the national average ($402) and hotel rates under $150 are easy to lock in if you know where to look.
"Travelers looking for a good travel deal should consider checking out Orlando where airfare prices are under the national average and hotel rates have dropped more than 15 percent year-over-year," said Travelocity Senior Editor, Courtney Scott. "Las Vegas is another great value this July 4, with average nightly hotel rates of only $105."
Hotels in the U.S. Under $150
Consider taking a July 4 vacation to one of these 10 cities, where average hotel rates are below $150!
1. Las Vegas ($105)
2. Albuquerque ($112)
3. Colorado Springs ($116)
4. Memphis ($126)
5. Dallas / Ft. Worth ($126)
6. Orlando ($131)
7. Atlanta ($139)
8. Palm Springs ($140)
9. Minneapolis ($141)
10. Phoenix ($142)
Most Popular July 4th Destinations of 2014
According to the data report, the cost of airfare is up 3.6 percent from last year, with an average round-trip domestic ticket costing $402. Similarly, hotel rates for the upcoming holiday weekend also showed an 8 percent increase bringing the average nightly hotel rate to about $171. Notwithstanding these increases, airfare to eight out of the top 10 most popular destinations for the holiday is less expensive than the national average ($402) and half of the top 10 most popular destinations boast an average hotel rate lower than the national average.
1. New York City ($340 average round-trip airfare / $236 average hotel rate)
2. Los Angeles ($369 average round-trip airfare / $165 average hotel rate)
3. Orlando ($340 average round-trip airfare / $131 average hotel rate)
4. Seattle ($422 average round-trip airfare / $191 average hotel rate)
5. South Florida ($341 average round-trip airfare / $170 average hotel rate)
6. Boston ($359 average round-trip airfare / $232 average hotel rate)
7. Denver ($347 average round-trip airfare / $155 average hotel rate)
8. San Francisco Bay Area ($402 average round-trip airfare / $211 average hotel rate)
9. Washington, D.C. ($344 average round-trip airfare / $172 average hotel rate)
10. Chicago ($336 average round-trip airfare / $169 average hotel rate)
U.S. travelers looking to venture abroad over the July 4th holiday will enjoy a nearly 3 percent drop in average hotel rates with an average of $211 per night while airfare has increased slightly, about 3 percent. Europe, the Caribbean and Canada top the most popular list.
1. London, England ($1,610 average round-trip airfare / $295 average hotel rate)
2. Dominican Republic ($597 average airfare / $230 average hotel rate)
3. Paris, France ($1,686 average round-trip airfare / $252 average hotel rate)
4. Vancouver, BC ($498 average round-trip airfare / $195 average hotel rate)
5. U.S. Virgin Islands ($592 average round-trip airfare / $275 average hotel rate)