by Robin Fiedler
The time to make holiday travel reservations for Christmas and New Year's is now, and whether you plan to travel by air, land, or sea, a holiday vacation may be just the ticket. Although more travelers decide to visit family during the holidays, a surprising number of travelers take vacations. 
The Automobile Association of America (AAA) recently released its holiday travel predictions for 2009. "Since 2000, the number of Americans traveling by air during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend has dropped an astounding 62 percent." Since the majority of travelers goes by land rather than by air, AAA predicts discount savings on flights, rental cars, and hotels. Compared to last year, airline tickets for the holidays cost 4% less, for a savings of "an average of $170 per roundtrip ticket." It also reports a 3% decrease in car rental rates and an 11% decrease in hotel rates. For the most part, however, the most popular domestic routes have not been discounted.
Do you fit the characteristics of the typical Holiday Day traveler? The Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reports in 2001 that 53% of travelers packed up to visit family on Thanksgiving Day and 43% visited family on Christmas while 27% traveled for leisure on both holidays. They are on average 34-36 years old, and the number of travelers was equally split between men and women. Ninety percent drove their own cars and 45% traveled 50-99 miles. Just over 5% traveled by air on Thanksgiving and 6.5% by air for Christmas.
Historically, over one quarter of travelers took vacations during the holiday, but due to the economic downturn many vacation packages have been discounted due to decreased demand. Conde Nast Traveler recommends the best winter getaway prices can be found through large hotel chains, North American ski resorts, airfare plus hotel package deals, nearest-to-you island vacation spots, and last minute cruises. The cheapest international locations are Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Europe while bargain domestic locations are Las Vegas and Chicago.
For example in November 2009, Conde Nast reports, "Crystal Cruises was promoting two-for-one deals-together with $1,000 in shipboard credit-on its fall sailings. We even saw sales on Christmas/New Year's cruises that normally sell out a full year in advance. SeaDream Yacht Club, for instance, was offering 40 percent off its Christmas cruise in the Caribbean." Does a New Years Eve luxury cruise on the ocean sound memorable enough for Auld Lang Syne?
Whether vacationing or visiting family, if you are flying, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has made a few changes for holiday travelers. It has created family lanes so that single fliers can speed through security lines. Food items are permitted through carry-on, but most are recommended to be in checked baggage. Gifts need to be unwrapped. Snow globes, gels, liquids, and aerosols should be in checked baggage. Otherwise for carry-on, "Each passenger is allowed to take one clear quart-sized sealable bag and fill it with as many liquids in 3.4 oz or less sized containers that will fit, while still being able to seal the bag," according to the TSA. Be prepared to have items that do not fit security regulations thrown away at checkpoints.
This year, last-minute airline tickets or hotel reservations for a Christmas/New Year's getaway to see the family or take a holiday vacation may fit your budget. There's still time to buy a cheap flight, book a discount cruise, or find bargain hotel reservations for the Christmas holidays. So start packing!
Sources
"America on the Go...Us Holiday Travel" Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2003.
"AAA Predicts Thanksgiving Travel to Increase 1.4 Percent from Last Year." AAA News Room. 18 Nov. 2009.
"Gooble, Gooble: TSA Helpful Holiday Tips." The TSA Blog. 20 Nov. 2009.
Perrrin, Wendy. "Where to Find the Hot Winter Deals." Conde NastTraveler. Nov. 2009.
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2 Responses to “Holiday Vacation Getaway”
That's interesting, 1/4 of people go away for vacation over Christmas. I live in New Zealand and our family visits relatives on Christmas day (they live a few hours away) but we don't usually have a 'vacation' other than that over Christmas - we just have a day or two-day trip, and a barbeque.