Priceline NORWALK, CT., June 24, 2015 . . . With gasoline prices expected to be over 80 cents a gallon less than last year, and the average domestic airfare down slightly (about $14 from 2014), July 4th 2015 is shaping up to be another budget-friendly getaway weekend.* Some travelers may even have additional time off with many businesses closing on Friday, July 3rd to get ahead on the weekend.
Based on current hotel reservations made for the long weekend, priceline.com has released its annual list of the top 25 destinations for July 4th, 2015. July 4th weekend average daily hotel rates (ADRs) have dropped year-over-year in 17 of the top 25 cities, and bargain hunters will no doubt gravitate to those destinations. Some of the biggest ADR drops include Montreal ($27/night drop), Las Vegas ($20/night drop), New Orleans ($20/night drop), and Paris ($37/night drop).
Perhaps it is all those folks flocking to the Windy City to help Blackhawks fans celebrate their Stanley Cup win, because Chicago is the #1 destination for July 4th 2015, according to priceline.com. Also toward the top of the list are #2 Las Vegas, #3 Washington, DC, #4 Orlando, and #5 San Diego.
“For travelers hitting the road this holiday weekend and not yet sure where or when they’ll be able to rest their head, the priceline.com app offers ultra-last-minute mobile deals in hotels across the country,” said priceline.com Travel Editor Brian Ek. “As Americans gravitate to cities and towns with the biggest and best fireworks displays, this year’s summer drivers have every advantage; access to mobile tools that allow them to prepare their trip ahead of time, but book at the very last minute depending on traffic and fatigue levels.”
| Average Airfare for July 4th Weekend | ||
| 2015 | 2014 | |
| Domestic | $382 | $396 |
| International | $871 | $734 |
Average airfares were calculated on June 15th, and are based on the last 45 days of reservations. Fares and availability can change at any time.
| Best Bang for Your Buck Spots for July 4th 2015 | |||
| Destination | 2015 ADR | 2014 ADR | Year-over-Year % Change |
| #1 Montreal | $122 | $149 | -18% |
| #2 Las Vegas | $100 | $120 | -17% |
| #3 Paris | $197 | $234 | -16% |
| #4 Rome | $135 | $154 | -12% |
| #5 Austin | $118 | $131 | -10% |
| #6 Myrtle Beach | $167 | $185 | -10% |
| #7 New Orleans | $224 | $244 | -8% |
| #8 Daytona Beach | $143 | $154 | -7% |
2015 Hotel ADRs were calculated on June 15, and can change at any time.
| Priceline.com’s Top 25 Destinations for July 4th 2015 | |||
| Destination | 2015 ADR | 2014 Rank | 2014 ADR |
| #1 Chicago, IL | $223 | 5 | $151 |
| #2 Las Vegas, NV | $100 | 1 | $120 |
| #3 Washington D.C. | $153 | 10 | $135 |
| #4 Orlando, FL | $109 | 7 | $100 |
| #5 San Diego, CA | $177 | 2 | $174 |
| #6 Orange County, CA | $127 | 9 | $130 |
| #7 New York City | $202 | 6 | $202 |
| #8 Seattle, WA | $161 | 12 | $144 |
| #9 New Orleans, LA | $224 | 3 | $244 |
| #10 LA/Central LA | $160 | 4 | $129 |
| #11 Atlanta, GA | $112 | 18 | $102 |
| #12 Vancouver, BC | $170 | 41 | $140 |
| #13 Miami, FL | $144 | 11 | $144 |
| #14 San Antonio, TX | $135 | 16 | $111 |
| #15 San Francisco, CA | $185 | 8 | $180 |
| #16 Virginia Beach, VA | $165 | 15 | $161 |
| #17 Dallas, TX | $93 | 34 | $89 |
| #18 St. Louis, MO | $135 | 14 | $138 |
| #19 St. Catharines, ON | $152 | 24 | $146 |
| #20 Nashville, TN | $156 | 25 | $136 |
| #21 Myrtle Beach, SC | $167 | 22 | $185 |
| #22 Houston, TX | $113 | 32 | $97 |
| #23 Atlantic City – Cape May | $167 | 13 | $171 |
| #24 Toronto, ON | $116 | 46 | $113 |
| #25 Boston, MA | $214 | 19 | $198 |
*According to industry reports, the latest average gasoline price is around $2.80 a gallon for regular, compared to $3.66 a year ago, a difference of 86 cents a gallon.
For more information on priceline.com, visit www.priceline.com/media/ or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
About priceline.com
Priceline.com, part of The Priceline Group [NASDAQ: PCLN], gives leisure travelers multiple ways to save on their airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, vacation packages and cruises. In addition to getting compelling published prices, travelers can take advantage of priceline.com’s famous Name Your Own Price® service, which can deliver the lowest prices available, or the recently added Express Deals®, where travelers can take advantage of hotel discounts without bidding.
