Top 10 Most-Searched Destinations for U.S. Travelers

With travel being restricted due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and many stay at home mandates still in place, the thirst for travel is on the rise. According to Expedia search data, Americans are starting to daydream about their first trip after restrictions lift.

While there’s interest in both domestic and international destinations, eight out of 10 of the top most-searched destinations are domestic—indicating that exploring our own backyard will likely rebound first, as international borders open up at different times.

Top 10 most-searched destinations for flights:

1. Orlando
2. Honolulu
3. Las Vegas
4. Miami
5. Cancun
6. Maui
7. London
8. Los Angeles
9. Denver
10. San Juan

Domestically, Expedia search data shows interest in popular holiday destinations like Las Vegas, Orlando, and Hawaiian islands. This could be an indication of Americans seeking a vacation that offers warm weather and tons of activities, both indoor and outdoor, and shows that, for now at least, curious travelers haven’t ruled out visiting a big city. For those looking further to international destinations, the biggest draw is relaxation and beach, with Mexico and the Caribbean dominating the list.

Top 10 most-searched destinations based on lodging:

Flexible Travel Tips

Whether you’re just daydreaming or ready to plan and book a future trip, we want you to feel secure in your choices. Here are Expedia’s top tips for making flexible travel plans:

• As a first step, check the latest travel advisories for both the U.S. and your intended destination. As the situation continues to change for each country, ensure the destination is accepting international travelers and if there are any quarantine periods required.

• Consider booking refundable hotels rather than non-refundable ones. To make it easier to search for flexible options, Expedia has updated the website so you can filter by hotels that offer free cancellation, so you can have more peace of mind while making plans. Some of these hotels require you to cancel at least 24-48 hours before check-in, so double check the policies before booking.

• Remember to check applicable terms and conditions, especially when booking flights. On Expedia.com, you can now sort flight results by airlines that are waiving change fees for future bookings.

• Another note on booking flights. Over the last couple years, most major airlines rolled out new “basic economy” or “saver” fares. These fares are cheaper, but they’re also a lot more restrictive and generally do not permit any changes or cancellation. Expedia wants to make sure you can easily choose the fare that has the best value for you, so during the booking process we highlight what is and what is not included in each fare you’re considering. Before checking out, travelers can easily compare fares and see what makes the most sense for them based on their needs and preferences (screenshot below).

To stay up to date on the latest travel advisories and Expedia’s policies surrounding COVID-19, please visit  https://www.expedia.com/service/#/myTrips/25643.

Note: Data is based on search data on Expedia.com for the search dates of April 1-30 2020, for the travel dates of July 1 – December 31, 2020.