Home › News › Aug 2017

Expedia Reveals 10 Busiest Destinations for Labor Day 2017

Staff Report

Thursday, August 17th, 2017

Labor Day weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the summer, spurring more air travel in 2016 than other midyear holidays such as Memorial Day and Independence Day. A recent Expedia survey confirmed that nearly 25 percent of Americans plan to get out of town for Labor Day this year. To help travelers get in one last summer getaway, Expedia today released data on the busiest destinations and where to go for a great deal.

"Just because a destination is in-demand doesn't necessarily mean travelers will pay a premium," says Sarah Gavin, vice president of global communications, Expedia.com. "Places like London are over 35 percent more popular this year, but roughly 15 percent less expensive. And when you combine that with the hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars you can save when you bundle your flight and hotel, that's an incredible value."

New York and Las Vegas Among Busiest Cities for Labor Day

Expedia flight booking data suggests that these North American cities are shaping up to be the busiest destinations for Labor Day weekend:

  1. New York

  2. Las Vegas

  3. Los Angeles

  4. Orlando

  5. Chicago

  6. Seattle

  7. San Francisco

  8. Denver

  9. Dallas

  10. Atlanta

The best deals for Labor Day weekend

Many destinations that are seeing a rise in popularity this year versus last year are actually less expensive. For example, while Las Vegas is twice as popular this year versus last year, it is 10 percent cheaper, as are Honolulu and Austin. Internationally, Reykjavik is seeing nearly twice the interest this year, but coming in around 25 percent cheaper this August compared to last. Similarly, Paris and Barcelona are experiencing rising demand yet represent a great deal for travelers, with savings of roughly 15 percent, respectively.

Top Package Deals

One of the best ways to save even more on a trip is by booking as a package. When travelers book hotel and flights at the same time, the combination can yield an average of up to $600 in savings – and sometimes a lot more. Expedia analyzed U.S. bookings from February 1 to July 31, 2017 to determine destinations where travelers can find deep package savings. Strong package deals abound to destinations including:

  • Italy – particularly Rome, Florence, Milan and Venice – savings on package bookings up to $2,200

  • The Bahamas – savings on package bookings up to $1,200

  • London – savings on package bookings up to $2,100

  • Hawaii – including Kauai, The Big Island and Oahu – savings on package bookings up to $1,000

  • Greece – savings on package bookings up to $1,500

  • Costa Rica – savings on package bookings up to $650