US Travel Industry is Going Strong

A new report from CheapOAir shows that the travel industry is growing at a healthy clip. 

CheapOAir’s research indicated that travel was up 50 percent over the first quarter of 2017 compared to the first quarter of 2013. In addition, outbound travel to international destinations is up a whopping 170 percent this year versus 2013. 

Key findings from the research also indicate that outbound travel made its most significant increases between 2016 and 2017, increasing a full 15 percent. 

Airfare was slightly higher this year than last year, and plane tickets are less expensive overall. Prices are 15 percent lower now than they were in 2013. And as airfare has decreased, it seems travel has increased. The total number of U.S. passengers has grown 85 percent over the last five years, according to CheapOAir’s research. 

As previously noted, travel to international destinations is up 170 percent from 2013. The most significant increase came over the past year with international travel increasing 30 percent from this same time in 2016. 

Prices on international airfare are also lower: The average price of a roundtrip international flight is now $728.78. 

And if you are heading out of town, the survey found some interesting details that travelers might want to take note of. 

READ MORE: What Are the Most Popular Summer Destinations? 

If flying on a Thursday, you are not alone; It is the most popular departure day. Leave on a Sunday or a Monday instead if hoping for an empty flight; Those are the least likely departure days, according to the research. 

Trip duration is also increasing. Most people were gone around 10 days when they took a trip in 2013. That has increased to 13 days in 2017. 

The most popular domestic destinations are Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Dallas, Charlotte, San Francisco, Denver, Newark, Houston and Miami. International destinations that ranked the highest are Manila, Taipei, London, Toronto, Seoul, Mexico, Dubai, Istanbul, Beijing and Paris. 

Travel holds an important place in the U.S. economy. It is a $2.3 billion dollar industry that supports 15.3 million jobs. The travel industry is said to have generated $157.8 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues during 2016.

A healthy travel industry is a good indicator of a healthy U.S. economy, overall.