Travel Prices Trending Down Ahead of July 4 Holiday Travel Period

Image: Family with a dog resting on a pier. (photo iva  Kerkez / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Image: Family with a dog resting on a pier. (photo iva Kerkez / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Donald Wood
by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:45 PM ET, Wed June 21, 2023

As Americans prepare to hit the road or take to the skies during the busy Fourth of July holiday travel period, new data suggests prices for flights, car rentals and accommodations are down or in line with last year.

According to Hopper.com, more than 24 million people will depart from airports in the United States from June 29 to July 5, with airports around the country busiest on the Thursday and Friday before the holiday weekend.

For the holiday weekend, domestic airfare has dropped more than $100 or 27 percent since last year to around $300 per round-trip ticket, with prices now in line with 2019 prices. As for the busiest airports, Atlanta, Dallas, Denver and Los Angeles top the list for the summer holiday.

“For the best prices on domestic trips, fly on Saturday, July 2 and return Monday, July 4,” Hopper’s Hayley Berg said. “Savvy travelers departing Saturday July 1 and returning Monday or Tuesday of the holiday weekend are saving an average of $74 per ticket, or 26 percent off peak airfare prices.”

International travelers are staying relatively close for the holiday, with destinations in Mexico, Canada, and Puerto the most booked on Hopper. For Americans heading overseas, stays in Europe and Asia are the most popular, with London, Madrid and Bangkok topping the most booked rankings.

Car rental prices are also down, with totals averaging $47 per day, a 25 percent decline from last year. Travelers are booking six-day rentals, up from the three-day average last year, likely due to the holiday falling on a Tuesday.

As for the hotel and resort industry, overnight prices are averaging $197 per night for the Independence Day holiday period, which is in line with prices from 2022. Las Vegas, Miami and New York top Hopper’s ranking of most booked destinations for hotel stays.


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