Home › News › Aug 2017

Orbitz Insiders: It's Not Too Late for a Great Labor Day Getaway

Staff Report

Thursday, August 17th, 2017

With just over two weeks before the Labor Day weekend, many potential travelers may believe that it is too late to book a getaway for the last long weekend of summer. But according to Orbitz data, only around 20% of travelers have booked a hotel by the start of August, and about half wait until two weeks out to make their lodging plans.

"Over the years, our Labor Day weekend data has consistently shown that a substantial number of people wait until the last minute to book their travel," says Ramses Meijer, General Manager of Orbitz. "This is great news for anyone wanting to take advantage of the long weekend, but who may be worried that their options could be limited and that prices may be too high."

Orbitz Insider Index: Labor Day Edition

Even though many travelers are still waiting to make their plans, the Orbitz Insider team has identified a number of trends for the upcoming Labor Day weekend:

  • Big cities dominate the list of top Labor Day destinations, with New York City, Chicago and Washington D.C. all in the top ten.

  • Labor Day travelers are 'California dreaming' as San Diego, San Francisco and Los Angeles each rank among the most popular Labor Day hotspots.

  • Resort destinations lead the Labor Day pack with Las Vegas and Orlando ranking one and two, respectively.

  • Value-seekers may want to look at Orlando and Washington D.C., both currently boasting average Labor Day weekend hotel prices under $160 per night.

Top Labor Day Destinations
 

Destination

Average Daily Hotel Price
   

1. Las Vegas

$173

2. Orlando

$159

3. New York City

$285

4. Chicago

$176

5. Washington D.C.

$145

6. San Diego

$191

7. Miami

$192

8. San Francisco

$231

9. New Orleans

$183

10. Los Angeles

$211

In celebration of Labor Day, Orbitz is currently highlighting savings of at least 20% on select hotels for Labor Day at www.orbitz.com/laborday. Also, if you book by August 20th, Labor Day travelers can maximize their savings by using promotion code "TRAVELTIME" for an additional 15 percent off of hotel stays completed by December 31, 2017.

Orbitz Labor Day Top Trending Destinations

Along with identifying the most booked destinations, the Orbitz Insider experts have also dug deeper into the numbers to find the hottest trending destinations. These are the cities that have seen the most growth in demand this Labor Day weekend as compared to the holiday weekend last year:

  • Hosting two early-season college football games as well as the DragonCon sci-fi convention, Atlanta is leading the way with the biggest jump in year-on-year Labor Day travel.

  • Perennially a draw for history buffs, Philadelphia is also featuring the star-studded Made in America Music Festival over the Labor Day weekend, helping propel the City of Brotherly Love to the number two top trending position.

  • San Antonio's unique culture combined with affordable hotels over the Labor Day weekend also makes it one of Orbitz' top trending destinations.

Destination

Average Daily Hotel Price
   

1. Atlanta

$176

2. Philadelphia

$214

3. Ocean City, Md.

$258

4. San Antonio

$150

5. New York (Outer Boroughs)

$217