Travel numbers for the Thanksgiving holiday may have been down last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Americans, as expected, are busily making plans to travel for the holiday this year.
Their travel destinations for Thanksgiving aren’t really surprising either.
Indeed, data from the Allianz Partners Top 10 Thanksgiving Destination Index shows that the top two domestic destinations, once again, are New York City and Seattle. The index notes that the top two international destinations for the holiday weekend, as they also have been in the past, are Cancun and San Jose Del Cabo in Mexico, according to Travel Agent Central.
“Thanksgiving travel tends to provide a deep sense of nostalgia for Americans, whether continuing traditions at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City or reuniting with family on the beaches of Mexico,” Daniel Durazo, director of external communications at Allianz Partners USA, said in a statement, according to Travel Pulse. “No matter where you’re headed, the freedom to travel is once again something to be thankful for and deserves to be protected with a travel insurance policy.”
Here’s how the research was conducted. Allianz Partners, a travel insurance and assistance company, analyzed more than two million travel itineraries for travelers who booked airfare and travel packages from partners who offer Allianz Global Assistance. Those itineraries are for trips bookending the Thanksgiving holiday, specifically, roundtrip flights departing U.S. airports between November 19 and 24, then returning between November 25 and 29.
Domestic Thanksgiving Destinations
New York City remains the number one destination for Americans traveling at Thanksgiving. In addition to Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, visitors can kick off holiday celebrations by ice skating at Rockefeller Center, check out holiday light displays, and even begin holiday shopping on Black Friday.
Coming in second again on the index is Seattle. Not only is it a gateway for travelers visiting the West Coast, Seattle also is a jumping-off point for outdoor lovers visiting the Pacific Northwest.
Rounding out the 10 most-popular domestic destinations for Thanksgiving travelers are:
- Orlando, Florida
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Los Angeles, California
- Dallas, Texas
- Washington, DC
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
International Thanksgiving Destinations
As Durazo at Allianz Partners notes, many families enjoy traveling to Mexico’s sunny beaches for Thanksgiving.
With that in mind, it stands to reason that Cancun and San José del Cabo, Mexico are the top two most-popular international destinations for Americans traveling at Thanksgiving. What’s more, Puerto Vallarta is the third-most-popular international destination.
Rounding out the 10 most-popular international destinations for Thanksgiving travelers are:
- London, England
- Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Nassau, Bahamas
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Oranjestad, Aruba
- Paris, France
- Providenciales Island, Turks and Caicos
Since they are the most popular destinations at Thanksgiving, be sure to read all of our New York City, Seattle, and Cancun content, including: