by Donald Wood
Last updated: 2:25 PM ET, Thu November 10, 2022
New data shows that average hotel booking prices across the United States have increased in 2022 ahead of the typically busy Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
According to a AAA Travel study, the average cost of a hotel stay is up eight percent compared to 2021, but the overall price has decreased in many of the top holiday destinations, including Las Vegas and Denver.
"The holiday season, especially for Thanksgiving break, I have been seeing a high demand for last minute travel, but have struggled to find the availability and the air prices are outrageous," LuxTravelKatie.com's Katie Ehlers said.
AAA hotel data-which reflects average booking prices for entire stays and are not nightly rates-showed that Orlando took home the top spot with an average of $616, down 11 percent from last year.
Another popular family travel destination, Anaheim, California, ranked second with an average of $643, an increase of five percent. While the average price for a stay in Las Vegas was $319 (down 17 percent), the cost was up 25 percent in New York City ($1,116).
Rounding out the top 10 destinations, in order, are Atlanta ($426), Phoenix ($530), Dallas ($406), Denver ($407), Chicago ($440) and Charlotte ($510).
"The only thing I have to say about Thanksgiving travel is EXPENSIVE," Sioux Empire Travel's Tyson Wharton said. "I have clients traveling but we booked that back in the Spring. It was expensive then, so I can't even imagine what pricing looks like now."
In addition, the American Hotel & Lodging Association's (AHLA) Hotel Booking Index Survey revealed that 31 percent of Thanksgiving travelers plan to stay in a hotel during their trip, compared to the 22 percent who planned to do so in 2021.
"Since travel restrictions have lifted, we are seeing more of a shift from rural destinations back to urban cities, like New York," AAA's Senior Vice President of Travel Paula Twidale said. "Consumer confidence has improved, and travelers want the excitement and accessibility of big cities, as well as more hotel options and greater inventory, which can sometimes mean better pricing."
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