December 23 will be busiest day of the trip during this year's holiday season, according to a new poll.
Survey of 2,000 Americans who plan to travel to holidays This year's look at the wildest travel dates, top destinations, popular modes of transportation and the cost of vacation travel.
For those embarking on a trip for the December holidays, 23 December is the most common day of travel on the first leg of the journey and the most common time to return home is after 31 December.
The day before Thanksgiving DayNovember 28th will be the most popular travel day to head out to a Thanksgiving destination, and the most popular time frame to return home is after November 30th.
And for those traveling for the holiday and New Year's Eve, the night itself, December 31 and January 2 will be the busiest days.
Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of IHG Hotels & Resortsresearch served as a comprehensive report on 2024 holiday travel trends.
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The survey found that Florida is the top destination for those traveling out of state for the Thanksgiving and December holidays, and New York is the top stop for New Year's travelers heading to another state.
The least popular Thanksgiving and New Year's destination is North Dakota, and Vermont will be the least visited state in December.
And while vacationers look forward to seeing family (56%) and eating good food (37%), they fear the cost of travel (29%) along with cruise lines and crowds (26%) most during transport. .
More than a quarter (27%) even have blackout dates on their calendars during the holiday season when they refuse to travel, with General Mr (40%) are more likely to have cut-off dates.
“We're all looking forward to getting some time off this holiday season,” says Connor Smith, vice president of master brand strategy and awareness at IHG Hotels & Resorts. “Whether you're traveling near or far to spend time with loved ones or squeeze in some 'me time,' we have options to suit all types of travelers.”
Related: Use your calendar to reduce the stress of vacation travel
Many (78%) reported that all of their vacation travel will be booked to visit family, while some (22%) have made room for a side quest.
Of these, more than a few (28%) will receive one solo trip on vacation, with baby boomers (38%) and Gen Z (35%) most likely to take a solo trip on vacation.
A third (31%) are stepping outside the box to take a destination vacation with their loved ones, and some (4%) are even exploring internationally.
The most popular places and holiday destinations for holiday travel are the city (35%), suburbs (26%) and rural towns (23%).
For those going to the city, holidaymakers are looking to experience the city break (24%), shop (18%) and explore the city (21%).
And for those who go to the beach on vacation (12%), a quarter shared that beach vacations are a tradition in their family (24%) along with the fact that the beach gives their family plenty of activities to keep them busy. busy (22%).
Twelve percent headed to the mountains to celebrate the holidays. Reasons include the need to rest and recharge away from daily responsibilities (25%) and spending as much time outdoors as possible (24%).
Hoping to maximize their time off, nearly one in 10 beach (9%) and mountain (10%) vacationers choose to stay at an all-inclusive so they can they really rest during the holidays.
One in 10 started planning their holiday excursions earlier than June this year, and one of the main reasons for doing so was simply to get it out of the way so it wouldn't cause stress later in the year (31%) .
A fifth were looking to get the best deals on accommodation and ticket prices, and some (12%) admitted they wanted to make plans so they could turn down other invitations.
“We appreciate all the different ways people travel this holiday year,” says Smith. “For those going abroad, staying local or still looking for travel inspiration, IHG has something for everyone and gives you the flexibility to choose the destinations that work for you at every price point.”
Related: How to take a vacation without stressing about work
Busiest travel days during the holidays
Thanksgiving Day
- November 27 – 19%
- November 28 (Thanksgiving) – 20%
- November 30 – 22%
- After November 30 – 25%
December holidays
- December 22 – 17%
- December 23 – 20%
- December 27 – 16%
- After December 31 – 22%
New Year
- December 30 – 18%
- December 31 (New Year's Eve) – 20%
- January 2 – 20%
- January 3 – 13%