What to Expect from the 2015 Holiday Travel Season

It's almost that time of year again – the holiday travel season. As you probably already know, the holiday season is the busiest time of year for traveling. This year, 71% of Americans are planning to take at least one trip between Thanksgiving and New Year's, according to the Orbitz 2015 holiday survey. This is a 6% increase from last year's survey.

In their holiday survey, Orbitz breaks down what we can expect from the 2015 holiday travel season, including the top travel destinations, average prices, and best times to book.  According to the report, airfares are down 9% and hotel prices remain relatively flat, but as planes fill up over the next few weeks, air supply will start to decline and prices may increase. If you are planning on traveling over the holidays, here some important factors from the report to consider:

Thanksgiving:  The Wednesday before Thanksgiving tends to be the busiest travel date of the year. According to Orbitz, November 25 is the busiest day to travel for Thanksgiving this year, and November 30 is the least busy day.  The average cost for airfare to the top 10 destinations fell 9% from 2014 to $369. Hotel prices are an average of $181, up 5% from last year. The top 10 travel destinations for Thanksgiving are: Chicago, Orlando, Los Angeles, New York, Cancun, Las Vegas, Denver, San Francisco, Dallas and Washington D.C.

Christmas: December 23 is the busiest travel day for Christmas, and December 27 is the least busy. The average cost for airfare to the top destinations is $493, down 4% from 2014. The average hotel price is $201, a 2% increase from last year.The top 10 destinations for Christmas are: Los Angeles, Orlando, Cancun, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Miami and Phoenix.

New Year's: Like Christmas and Thanksgiving, the busiest travel day for New Year's is the day before, December 30. The least busy day to travel is New Year's Day. The average price of airfare fell 12% to $416, with hotel prices costing an average of $229 (a 17% increase) to the top 10 travel destinations. The top destinations for New Year's are: Orlando, Cancun, New York, Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale, Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Denver.

If you will be traveling over the holidays, it's best to book your flight and hotel sooner rather than later. Last year, about 50% of travelers booked their Thanksgiving trips by October 20 and Christmas trips by November 13, according to Orbitz.com Senior Editor Jeanenne Tornatore. Along with booking your flights and hotels, you should also reserve a rental car and parking spot at an off-site airport parking service if need be, as they will fill up as the holiday season draws near.

For those traveling from the Bradley International Airport, choose Z Airport Parking for parking at the Hartford Airport. When you book with our parking service at the Bradley Airport, you are making a guaranteed parking reservation and receiving the most affordable rates and highest quality service. Visit us online to make your reservation. Happy travels!

5 Great Careers for People Who Love to Travel

Do you love to travel and wish to explore the world? Well, lucky for you, there are many jobs that require a lot of traveling, so you can fulfill your globe-trotting urges while still making a living. Our Bradley airport parking service has compiled a list of 5 great careers for those who love to travel. Read on to learn more about these exciting careers. 

1. Flight Attendant – While flight attendant is probably the most obvious job for those who love traveling, it's one of the most enjoyable and attainable careers. Flight attendants get the opportunity to travel around the world and spend a night or two in foreign cities. Along with the perks of traveling and getting discounts for family members, flight attendants should be a people person, have great customer service skills and not mind working odd hours. 

2. Travel Agent – If you love traveling, becoming a travel agent may be the perfect career for you. You'll get to help others book their dream vacations, as well as travel for free. Travel agents often get to visit the locations and accommodations they are promoting, as well as receive great discounts on their own vacations. 

3. Travel Writer – Do you enjoy writing as much as you love to travel? Being a travel writer is a dream for many, as those with this job often receive the star treatment in hopes of a great review. While a travel writing job sounds fantastic, it's not an easy job to attain. Many travel writers get their start by writing for free to generate great clips. Starting a travel blog is another good way to get your foot in the door and build up your writing portfolio.

4. English Teacher – Many foreign countries are looking for English teachers. While you won't be traveling to a different city every week, you'll get to fully immerse yourself in the culture of another country. Most English teaching positions are a year-long commitment, so you can spend one year teaching English in a foreign country and then move on to another. 
 

5. Event Coordinator – Event coordinators who plan large-scale events, such as trade shows, regional conferences and festivals, are a great opportunity for travel lovers. The job requires you to plan events in various areas of the country, as well as meet with vendors located nationwide.