Expedia Travel Trendwatch

They’ll also be more willing to rear- range travel schedules to avoid the more expensive traditional peak travel days. Travel deals during the low-demand “dead weeks” between Thanksgiving and Christmas and in early January could offer some of the best deals in recent years for those with flexible schedules. The holiday travel season is traditionally Millions of Americans Will Hit the Roads and Skies Online at www.expedia.com/tips BY CHRIS MCGINNIS Despite economic worries and concerns over higher airfares, the upcoming holiday and winter travel season will not differ greatly from previous years. In fact, recent data show airfares on many routes are at or even below 2007 levels. Once again millions of Americans will hit the roads and the skies to visit family or take vacations around Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s. Airports will be very busy. Flights will be full. Freeways will be jammed on the days leading up to and the weekends following holidays. But there will be some differences this year. Travelers will face a host of new airline fees they may not be familiar with. Some will have to take connecting flights to des- tinations where they used to fly nonstop. While air and hotel will be more expensive than other times of the year, many routes and rooms will be at or even below last year’s rates. Airline capacity reductions will mean fewer planes and more crowded flights – the bright side of this means there could be less stress on the air traffic system and fewer congestion-related delays. With a renewed focus on per- sonal spending, more Americans may take a single, longer trip for Thanksgiving or Christmas/New Year’s instead of two shorter ones. DID YOU KNOW... Fourteen percent of U.S. adults (approximately 32 million people) plan to travel by air during the upcoming Thanksgiving/Winter holiday season. A much larger percentage will drive. Source: Expedia/Harris poll of 2017 U.S. adults. PEAK-SEASON HOLIDAY FARES RISE The average Thanksgiving roundtrip airfare this year is $451. That is 14% ($55) higher than last year when it was $396. The average Christmas/winter holiday roundtrip airfare this year is $563. That is 25% ($112) higher than last year when it was $451. Source: Expedia; fares checked 11/11/08 and subject to change Holiday Rate Outlook Dead Week Deals Routes with Declining Fares Key Winter Travel Dates