CHICAGO, April 23, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than two-thirds of Americans (68 percent) are already planning to take at least one trip this summer, with many capitalizing on a budget-friendly trip to Europe or a great American road trip, according to the latest Orbitz.com Insider Index. 1 More than half of travelers surveyed said they would head to Europe if the price is right and a strong U.S. dollar translates to a sale on Europe . On the domestic travel front, gas prices are predicted to be the lowest since 2005, 2 saving Americans an estimated $300 on a summer road trip. 3 Whether the preference is domestic or international travel this summer, new smart watch technology helps travelers maximize their summer vacations and conveniently manage trips away from home.
The Insider Index also showcases where consumers are heading this summer with the top 10 summer travel destinations, which include Cancun, London, Paris and Las Vegas, and tracks a dip in prices heading into the busy travel season.
"With flight prices down 9 percent and hotels remaining flat, this is the summer of savings," said Jeanenne Tornatore, Orbitz.com senior editor. "If you've been waiting to take your dream European vacation, road trip or North American excursion, now is the time to go. Prices are low and there are a wealth of other ways to save if you start planning and booking right now."
Beyond just savings, travelers are turning to technology this summer to provide as much ease and convenience as possible and allowing them to make the most of their vacations. With the growing list of options in the wearables world with Apple Watch and Android Wear, travelers are relying on technology to help them better manage their travel details, navigate unknown airports and get up-to-the-minute alerts on their itineraries. Orbitz.com is poised to help travelers take advantage of the technology with the launch of its customized app for the new Apple Watch.
Orbitz.com Top 10 Destinations for Summer Travel 5
Orbitz Summer Insider Index reveals the top 10 destinations for summer based on hotel bookings made on Orbitz.com from June 1 – August 31, 2015. The Index also provides the average price for hotels and airfare for each of the top 10 markets based on the same travel period the previous year.
Summer destination and pricing highlights include:
- Prices for flights in the top 10 destinations are down nearly 9 percent and hotel rates are flat for summer travel so savvy travelers can stock-pile on savings, leaving them with options to splurge on fun activities during their trip.
- Las Vegas retains its top spot as the number one destination for summer travel, but is joined by new international destinations, including London and Riviera Maya. Family-favorite Orlando, Fla. remains a top-10 pick for fun-lovers.
- Often thought to be off the table for the budget-conscious, Paris is showing the greatest savings this summer, down 16 percent in hotel and 18 percent for air.
| Orbitz.com Top 10 Summer Travel Destinations | ||||||
| Top Destinations | 2014 Average Hotel Rate | 2015 Average Hotel Rate | YOY Change | 2014 Avg. Airfare | 2015 Avg. Airfare | YOY Change |
| Las Vegas, Nev. | $114 | $113 | -1% | $385 | $368 | -5% |
| Cancun, Mexico | $256 | $275 | 7% | $539 | $501 | -8% |
| Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | $250 | $259 | 4% | $629 | $591 | -7% |
| Chicago, Ill. | $214 | $270 | 21% | $467 | $405 | -15% |
| London, England | $291 | $274 | -6% | $1,308 | $1,201 | -9% |
| New York, N.Y. | $300 | $281 | -7% | $501 | $463 | -8% |
| Riviera Maya, Mexico | $280 | $272 | -3% | $539 | $501 | -8% |
| Orlando/Lake Buena Vista, Fla. | $230 | $250 | 8% | $359 | $351 | -2% |
| Paris, France | $268 | $231 | -16% | $1,275 | $1,079 | -18% |
| Playa Del Carmen, Mexico | $227 | $238 | 5% | $539 | $501 | -8% |
Stretching the Dollar This Summer
While prices are down, Orbitz.com senior editors have rounded up the best tips and tricks to save even more this summer.
- Maximize savings with packages: According to the joint Orbitz-University of Wisconsin March 2015 U.S. Traveler Compass survey, more than one-third of all travelers will be booking both a flight and a hotel this summer, which if booked together, could save up to $675. 6
- Get more with mobile: Orbitz.com users can also save even more with the expansion of its Mobile Steals program, which offers mobile-only hotel deals of up to 50 percent off and up to 15 percent off car rentals through the award-winning Orbitz.com mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, Android and Amazon Fire.
- Pump up the savings with promo codes: Orbitz.com is making it even easier to save, with 15 percent off hotels for travelers who use promo code ONMYWAY to book by May 3, with travel by Sept. 30. 7
- Timing is everything: Figuring out when to travel is just as important as figuring out where to travel. Picking the wrong week can mean paying more and putting up with more crowds. According to Orbitz.com, August is the least expensive month to book a trip this summer, with the average hotel price for the whole month coming in at $181. 8 Visit Orbitz Summer Travel Calendar , for a full overview on the best weeks to travel by month this summer.
- Be rewarded for loyalty: More than 4 million Orbitz.com customers are enrolled in the Orbitz Rewards program, earning and spending their rewards on every transaction. The Orbitz Rewards Visa card comes with a $50 statement credit and allows travelers to earn up to 10 percent back on hotel bookings when using the Orbitz mobile app and paying with the Orbitz Visa Card. 9
About Orbitz.com
Orbitz.com is a travel website that enables consumers to search for and book a broad range of hotels , flights , car rentals , cruises , vacation packages and destination activities . Since launching in June 2001, Orbitz.com has become one of the world's largest online travel sites. Orbitz.com now offers the groundbreaking Orbitz Rewards loyalty program—the only program where customers can earn rewards immediately on flights, hotels and packages, and redeem instantly on tens of thousands of hotels worldwide. Use the Orbitz Rewards Visa® Card to earn even more rewards. Orbitz.com is the #1 way to book travel on mobile devices, be it using our apps (get them at orbitz.com/mobile ) or our smartphone-optimized website (m.orbitz.com), both of which are tailored for smartphones and tablets. The Orbitz app won the 2014 Appy Award for best travel app. Follow Orbitz on Facebook , Twitter and through the Orbitz Travel Blog . Orbitz.com is operated by Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW ).
About Orbitz Worldwide Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW ) is a global online travel company using technology to transform the way consumers around the world plan and purchase travel. Orbitz Worldwide operates the consumer travel planning sites Orbitz ( orbitz.com ), ebookers ( ebookers.com ), HotelClub ( hotelclub.com ) and CheapTickets ( cheaptickets.com ). Also within the Orbitz Worldwide family, Orbitz Partner Network ( orbitzpartnernetwork.com ) delivers private label travel technology solutions to a broad range of partners including some of the world's largest airlines, bank loyalty programs and travel agencies, and Orbitz for Business ( orbitzforbusiness.com ) delivers managed travel solutions for companies of all sizes. Orbitz Worldwide makes investor relations information available at investors.orbitz.com . 1 Data from March Orbitz and University of Wisconsin A.C. Nielsen Center for Marketing Research U.S. Traveler Compass Study. 754 adults aged 18-64 responded.
2 GasBuddy Press Release http://media.gasbuddy.com/NewsRelease/Cheapes...2015-04-09
3 AAA, http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/
4 The Orbitz.com summer survey was fielded by Orbitz April 13 to 15, 2015 via Google Consumer Surveys. 780 adults aged 18 or older who had traveled within 12 months were surveyed.
5 The top summer travel destinations for summer are based on Orbitz.com hotel bookings for travel from June 1 – August 31, 2015, vs. the coinciding time period last year.
6 Savings based on Flight + Hotel vacation package bookings of 5 or more nights with individual calculable components on www.orbitz.com from January 1, 2014 through June 30, 2014, as compared to price of the same components booked separately. Savings will vary based on origin/destination, length of trip, stay dates, and selected travel supplier(s). Savings not available on all packages.
7 ONMYWAY Promotion: Book a qualifying hotel between April 20, 2015 12:01AM CST and May 3, 2015 11:59PM CST, for 2 or more nights for travel between April 20, 2015, 2015 and September 30, 2015, via Orbitz and instantly receive 15% off through the use of the promotion code up to a maximum savings of $500 per booking. Most major chains excluded. See full terms here: http://www.orbitz.com/travel-deals/top-hotel-deals/
8 The busiest weeks for summer travel were ranked based on the number of air bookings (standalone air and air booked as part of a package) made on Orbitz.com for travel between June 1 – August 31, 2015. The least expensive weeks for summer travel were based on average daily hotel rate for travel between June 1 – August 31, 2015.
9 Subject to credit approval. $50 statement credit awarded after you spend $200 on the card in the first 90 days.
Marita Hudson Thomas, +1-312-260-8304,
