Hotwire Reveals January 2013 Travel Savings Indicator

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hotwire.com®, a leading discount travel site, today released the January 2013 Hotwire® Travel Savings Indicator, which features the top five cities in North America where hotel, air and car rental rates have dropped the most as compared to the same time last year. Using extensive pricing research to cover the three most popular travel products, the report helps guide travelers to the best destinations for maximizing their travel dollars each month.

"With the major holidays and conventions mostly behind us, mid- to late-January is one of the most affordable times to travel all year," said Clem Bason, president of the Hotwire Group. "This slower winter season has led travel providers in warmer weather destinations like Hawaii, Daytona Beach, the Florida Keys and Las Vegas to discount more competitively in their bid to win travelers, who in turn can take advantage of the low prices to grab an affordable wintertime escape."  

Hotel Price Drops

Daytona tops the list this month with an eight percent drop followed by another popular Florida destination, the Florida Keys with a six percent drop. While January is typically a busier month for these sunny Floridian beach towns, the mild winter in the Northeast has translated into decreased demand and, in turn, better discounts. And with the weather in the Keys averaging 70 degrees this time of year, the archipelago is perfect for travelers looking to escape the winter chill.

Raleigh, returning after a brief absence from the list, comes in at the number three spot, with a price drop of six percent. More hotels in the city are beginning to offer more rooms at a big discount on Hotwire, which translates to more competition among hoteliers for the lowest prices.

Next is Las Vegas, appearing on the list for the sixth month in a row, though down two spots from December with a price drop of six percent. Travelers can expect lots of last-minute price drops on the weekends throughout early January, as well as some stellar discounts on 5-star luxury properties.

Rounding out the list is Nashville with a two percent drop. Now that the college and pro football seasons have wrapped up and the country music awards are through, the demand is low in Music City, and so are the prices.

When compared to this time last year, the top five hotel price reductions for January 2013 include:

Air Price Drops

This month, beachgoers are in luck because Hawaii is the hottest deal market, with nearly every island seeing a considerable drop in airfare prices. As United, Hawaiian, Delta and Alaskan airlines continue to compete for more passengers, each airline is offering more seats and better deals for visitors headed to the Aloha State. Prices in Honolulu and Kailua Kona – tied for first place – are both down 15 percent, while the prices in fifth-place Kahului are down 12 percent. 

Meanwhile, Toronto returns to the list in the number three spot with a 14 percent drop due to its continued competition with U.S. border towns. Along with its hosting of the Toronto International Boat Show and Canadian Bridal show, this Canadian destination backs up its low airfares with lots of early-year activities. Rounding out the list is another Tennessean city – Memphis – down three spots to number four with a 13 percent drop.

When compared to this time last year, the top five airfare price reductions for January 2013 include:

Car Price Drops

In car rental deals, January is seeing newcomers for spots two through five, giving way to fantastic coast to coast savings. Monterey, absent from the list since this past September, took the number one spot with a 19 percent price drop, and with January being California Restaurant Month, it's a prime time for couples looking to wine and dine their way around Central California's coast.  

Raleigh is another hot deal market this month, as folks traveling to the City of Oaks are not only able to score some great airfare deals, but they can take advantage of car discounts (17 percent drop) as well. Finishing off the list are two Midwest cities, Indianapolis (12 percent) and Columbus (10 percent), as well as a Rocky Mountain favorite, Colorado Springs (11 percent), where some of the country's best skiing is within easy driving distance.

When compared to this time last year, the top five car rental price reductions for January 2013 include:

For over 12 years, Hotwire has worked with hotels, airlines and car rental companies to fill unsold inventory. As a result, Hotwire offers travelers amazing deals, every day of the year, across a variety of markets. Through Hotwire's deep understanding of the industry and unique relationships, consumers have been able to save millions of dollars on all their travel needs.

About the Hotwire Travel Savings Indicator

The Hotwire Travel Savings Indicator runs results during the second week of each month. Results are calculated by looking at Hotwire booking data for select regions in the current month, and comparing prices in the current month against Hotwire prices in the same month in the prior year. Prices are compared within the same categories (e.g., star rating, class of car) for consistency, and the percent change in price for each region is generated as an overall average of the changes in those categories. The hotel prices in the charts above are examples for a particular Hot Rate® deal within that market. The airfare and car rental prices are average prices based on bookings across all car and seat classes. Actual prices may be higher or lower than the examples that are provided.

About Hotwire

Hotwire.com is a leading discount travel site with low rates on airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages.  Launched in 2000, Hotwire, Inc. obtains deep discounts from its travel suppliers to help travelers book unsold airline seats, hotel rooms and rental cars.  Hotwire.com is an award-winning website and Hotwire, Inc. is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. CST # 2029030-50.  NST: 20003-0209.  For more information, visit http://www.hotwire.com. Hotwire.com operates sites in 8 countries worldwide:  www.hotwire.com, www.hotwire.com/uk, www.hotwire.com/ie, www.hotwire.com/au, www.hotwire.com/nz, www.hotwire.com/se, www.hotwire.com/no and www.hotwire.com/dk. In addition to Hotwire, The Hotwire Group of websites includes: www.hotwire.com and www.carrentals.com.  

Hotwire, Hotwire.com and the Hotwire logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotwire, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2013 Hotwire, Inc.  All rights reserved. CST # 2053390-50.  

Contact:
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SOURCE Hotwire.com