After the hustle and bustle of the winter holiday season, Valentine's Day presents the new year's first opportunity for couples to really reconnect with a romantic getaway. And, after almost three years of pandemic-related stress, it seems that Americans are feeling the need for a little extra love and attention in 2023.
That is, according to travel insurance provider Allianz Partners' new 'Top Valentine's Day Destinations' report, which shows that U.S. travelers' plans around the amorous holiday have jumped by 45 percent compared to last year.
Based on an analysis of over 700,000 roundtrip flights departing U.S. airports between early to mid-February, 71 percent of the itineraries reviewed are for domestic trips and 29 percent are for international ones, which the travel insurance and assistance company indicated is typical for this season.
The report also revealed the top domestic and international destinations for Valentine's Day travelers. And, it appears one thing that hasn't changed this year is the sort of spot that lovebirds are choosing for their romantic rendezvous, seeking out sunshine and beaches.
With much of the country caught in the grip of winter, couples are heading to the perennially popular Florida cities of Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and Miami, which took the top three spots on the list of domestic U.S. destinations. The dual Hawaiian paradises of Honolulu and Kahului (Maui) round out the top five, followed by metropolitan locations like Phoenix, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Denver.
Allianz Partners' 2023 Valentine's Day Travel Index chart. (image courtesy of Allianz Partners)
Internationally speaking, beach destinations also top the charts, with Americans opting for seaside spots like Mexico's Cancun, San Jose del Cabo and Puerto Vallarta, which took first, second and third place. The rest of the top 10 consists of Caribbean (or Caribbean-adjacent) destinations, including the tropical locales of Oranjestad, Montego Bay, Punta Cana and-for the first in the 10 years Allianz has been assessing Valentine's Day travel plan- St. Thomas, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands. These are followed by San Jose and Liberia in exotic Costa Rica, and Providenciales in Turks and Caicos.
"Love is indeed in the air this year, with flight itineraries soaring around the Valentine's Day holiday," says Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA. "For those who choose travel over chocolate and roses, it's important to consider purchasing travel insurance to protect pre-paid travel investments from unpredictable events like trip cancellations or interruptions, travel delays, and baggage issues."
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