2022 can be regarded as the year that travel returned. After two years in which borders were closed, flights were canceled, and loved ones were separated, travelers were eager to return to doing what they love most. Despite airfare rising more than 42% between September 2021 and September 2022, Americans were still keen to hop on planes and see the world—as well as their own country. Call it “revenge travel”, if you will.
As far as domestic travel goes, New York City was the most-booked destination, followed by Las Vegas and Orlando.
But even when travelers weren’t flying, those cities remained popular. The majority of road trips were taken to Orlando, Las Vegas, and Nashville, with Vegas proving to be the go-to place in spring; while Orlando won out during summer and fall.
Global borders re-opening, and many destinations no longer required a COVID test to enter, which saw a massive increase in people jet-setting abroad.
“As international destinations re-opened particularly in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, demand for trips across the pacific surged in the second half of 2022. We expect this to continue into 2023 as Tokyo, Ho Chi Minh City, and Bangkok are already ranking in the top trending destinations for travel,” noted Hayley Berg who is the lead economist at Hopper.
If travel is on your agenda this year, begin monitoring prices for your domestic flight 3-4 months in advance and 5-6 months for international flights to ensure you get the best deal.