Travelocity Reveals Top Cities to Book Inexpensive Hotels and Most Popular Vacation Destinations for July 4th 2014

SOUTHLAKE, Texas, June 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Travelocity's Independence Day holiday booking data reveals optimistic news for travelers looking to save during the July 4^th weekend. While airfare and domestic hotel rates are both on the rise, international travelers will pay less to book a hotel as average rates have decreased nearly 3%. Travelocity's data also shows that airfare to eight out of the top 10 most popular destinations for the holiday is less expensive than the national average ($402) and hotel rates under $150 are easy to lock in if you know where to look.

"Travelers looking for a good travel deal should consider checking out Orlando where airfare prices are under the national average and hotel rates have dropped more than 15% year-over-year," said Travelocity Senior Editor, Courtney Scott. "Las Vegas is another great value this July 4^th, with average nightly hotel rates of only $105."

July 4^th Hotels in the U.S. Under $150

Consider taking a July 4^th vacation to one of these 10 cities, where average hotel rates are below $150! 

1. Las Vegas ($105)
2. Albuquerque ($112)
3. Colorado Springs ($116)
4. Memphis ($126)
5. Dallas / Ft. Worth ($126)
6. Orlando ($131)
7. Atlanta ($139)
8. Palm Springs ($140)
9. Minneapolis ($141)
10. Phoenix ($142)

Most Popular July 4^th Destinations of 2014

According to Travelocity's July 4^th data report, the cost of airfare is up 3.6% from last year, with an average round-trip domestic ticket costing $402. Similarly, hotel rates for the upcoming holiday weekend also showed an 8% increase bringing the average nightly hotel rate to about $171. Notwithstanding these increases, airfare to eight out of the top 10 most popular destinations for the holiday is less expensive than the national average ($402) and half of the top 10 most popular destinations boast an average hotel rate lower than the national average.

1. New York City ($340 average round-trip airfare / $236 average hotel rate)
2. Los Angeles ($369 average round-trip airfare / $165 average hotel rate)
3. Orlando ($340 average round-trip airfare / $131 average hotel rate)
4. Seattle ($422 average round-trip airfare / $191 average hotel rate)
5. South Florida ($341 average round-trip airfare / $170 average hotel rate)
6. Boston ($359 average round-trip airfare / $232 average hotel rate)
7. Denver ($347 average round-trip airfare / $155 average hotel rate)
8. San Francisco Bay Area ($402 average round-trip airfare / $211 average hotel rate)
9. Washington, D.C. ($344 average round-trip airfare / $172 average hotel rate)
10. Chicago ($336 average round-trip airfare / $169 average hotel rate)

U.S. travelers looking to venture abroad over the July 4^th holiday will enjoy a nearly 3% drop in average hotel rates with an average of $211 per night while airfare has increased slightly, about 3%. Europe, the Caribbean and Canada top the most popular list. 

1. London, England ($1610 average round-trip airfare / $295 average hotel rate)
2. Dominican Republic ($597 average airfare / $230 average hotel rate)
3. Paris, France ($1686 average round-trip airfare / $252 average hotel rate)
4. Vancouver, BC ($498 average round-trip airfare / $195 average hotel rate)
5. U.S. Virgin Islands ($592 average round-trip airfare / $275 average hotel rate)

Scott advises that flexibility is important when shopping for holiday travel. "Extending your vacation by a day or two could save you on airfare and hotel rates," she says. "Subscribe to email blasts so you're the first to know about a fare sale, and scour social media sites like Twitter for travel deals."      

July 4th Vacation Sale

Travelocity is celebrating Independence Day with a sale at www.Travelocity.com/summersale.

About Travelocity

Travelocity wants to inspire you to "Go & Smell the Roses" and is dedicated to being your kindred spirit – a travel companion and a travel instigator, roaming the world beside you while helping make your traveling experience memorable with innovative apps, competitive prices and 24/7 customer service. Based in Southlake (Dallas/Fort Worth), Texas, Travelocity is owned by Sabre, a global technology company whose innovative technology is used by approximately one billion people around the world to plan, book and get to their destination at a time and price that's right for them.

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SOURCE Travelocity