It is going to be a busy holiday season this year. Allianz Global Assistance has found that more Americans than ever are planning to travel for Thanksgiving.
The Top 10 Thanksgiving Destination Index saw an eight percent increase in travelers from 2017 and New York City and Cancun lead the way in destinations.
Travelers are certainly not shying away from travel to Mexico. This year's index shows Mexico cities claimed four spots on the list of international destinations popular with U.S. travelers this Thanksgiving holiday. Cancun was number-one and San Jose Del Cabo was number five on the list, Puerto Vallarta claimed the ninth spot and Mexico City was number 10.
Other top spots for international travelers for Thanksgiving include London, Paris, San Juan, Montego Bay, Nassau and Punta Cana. This is the first time that Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Mexico City have been on the list, and San Juan has returned to the list of popular places after falling off in 2017 after the devastating hurricanes.
It seems that Americans are traveling closer to home this year, with far-flung destinations such as Tokyo and Rome not making the list this year.
In the U.S., Atlanta followed New York City as the second-most sought-after destination for Thanksgiving travel. Los Angeles, Orlando, Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix and Minneapolis followed in that order. Detroit, Phoenix and Minneapolis are new on this year's list, knocking Chicago, San Francisco and D.C. off the list.
"Our annual index finds that Thanksgiving travel is up eight percent from 2017," said Daniel Durazo, director of marketing and communications at Allianz Global Assistance USA. "And despite a tough year for Mexico, Americans are still visiting the destination in droves. Whether heading to Mexico for a beach getaway or visiting family in the states, the right travel insurance policy can provide the peace of mind needed to make this busy travel period as stress-free as possible."
The index also revealed the toughest days for travel during the holiday. The day before Thanksgiving (Wednesday, November 21, 2018) is the busiest departure day according to Allianz's index, and Sunday, November 25 will be the busiest return date.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
