Travelocity Finds Christmas Airfare Rates Up YOY

Popular Holiday Destinations Are Still Below Average and Offering Travelers Great Value

SOUTHLAKE, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--With Christmas and New Year’s upon us, travelers are organizing the last of their holiday travel plans. Travelocity’s winter data shows that the average round-trip domestic airfare this holiday season is $414, inclusive of tax, up nearly 9 percent from last year. International flights average $990, up 6 percent from 2011. The average daily rate for domestic hotels this winter is $151. These are the prices travelers want to beat when booking Christmas travel. And while average airfare is up, Travelocity has found that some of the most popular routes from top markets are actually below the average.

“While the average prices may be up, when looking at specific routes it’s clear that there are still great deals left for the holidays”

“While the average prices may be up, when looking at specific routes it’s clear that there are still great deals left for the holidays,” explains Courtney Scott, senior editor at Travelocity. “Many popular routes are still below the average price to beat, and if you are flexible and book a package you can see even more savings.”

Top Routes Below the Price to Beat for Christmas
ORIGIN CITY	DESTINATION CITY	AVERAGE AIRFARE
Atlanta	New York City	$264
Atlanta	Denver	$315
Boston	Chicago	$298
Boston	Washington DC	$177
Chicago	Los Angeles	$408
Chicago	Orlando	$345
Dallas Fort Worth	Los Angeles	$367
Dallas Fort Worth	New York	$351
Los Angeles	Denver	$312
Los Angeles	Dallas Fort Worth	$372
New York City	Orlando	$405
New York City	Chicago	$299
Philadelphia	Orlando	$290
Philadelphia	South Florida	$372
San Francisco	Los Angeles	$166
San Francisco	Denver	$366
South Florida	New York	$272
South Florida	Washington DC	$236
Washington DC	South Florida	$356
Washington DC	Orlando	$321

CHEAPEST DAYS TO FLY DOMESTIC FOR CHRISTMAS 2012

Similar to Thanksgiving, being flexible with travel dates can save hundreds of dollars. As seen in the chart below, travelers who choose to depart December 23, 24 or 25 and return later in the week can save up to $379 dollars on their airfare as opposed to those who leave the weekend before Christmas. When booking flights on Travelocity, there’s an option to search for flights within one to three days of your ideal departure and return date.

Cheapest Days to Fly for Christmas 2012
	Return 12/26/2012	Return 12/27/2012	Return 12/28/2012	Return 12/29/2012	Return 12/30/2012	Return 12/31/2012	Return 1/1/2013
Depart 12/20/2012	$424	$430	$460	$480	$485	$490	$472
Depart 12/21/2012	$440	$453	$485	$539	$527	$496	$532
Depart 12/22/2012	$441	$462	$462	$495	$566	$532	$527
Depart 12/23/2012	$396	$400	$424	$453	$456	$487	$459
Depart 12/24/2012	$351	$330	$355	$393	$407	$381	$400
Depart 12/25/2012	$187	$283	$329	$384	$441	$373	$405

To save up 40 percent on hotels and packages for holiday travel visit www.travelocity.com/happyholidays.

For further information on Travelocity and holiday travel, visit: www.windowseatblog.com.

About Travelocity Global

Travelocity® is committed to being the traveler's champion – before, during and after the trip – and provides the most comprehensive and proactive guarantee in the industry (http://www.travelocity.com/guarantee). This customer-driven focus, backed by 24/7 live phone support, competitive prices and powerful shopping technology has made Travelocity one of the largest travel companies in the world. Travelocity also owns and operates: Travelocity Business® for corporate travel; igougo.com, a leading online travel community; lastminute.com, a leader in European online travel; and ZUJI, a leader in Asia-Pacific online travel. Travelocity is owned by Sabre Holdings Corporation, a world leader in travel marketing and distribution.