By Fly.com, Special for USDR.
To celebrate the first day of summer today, Fly.com has identified America’s 20 most popular international destinations for summer travel. At the top of the list is San Juan, Puerto Rico, which beat out second-place finisher London, England, by a 16 percent margin.
Known for laid-back living, the Caribbean isles stand in stark contrast to the cultural hustle and bustle of Europe. Flight search activity to these regions was neck-and-neck, with Europe narrowly edging out the Caribbean as the most popular regional destination for American travelers. Of the top 20 most-searched international destinations, eight European cities and sevenCaribbean islands made the list. Winning cities were located in England, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain and Greece(for Europe), and the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Aruba and the U.S. Virgin Islands (for theCaribbean). The remainder of the top 20 was comprised of destinations in Asia, Central America and South America.
“Today is the first official day of summer, which means America is ready to jet off on vacation,” said Warren H. Chang, vice president and general manager, Fly.com. “When it comes to international travel, this year’s airfare search data shows that we are a divided nation of sun seekers and history buffs.”
Fly.com‘s latest analysis indicates a growing popularity for Caribbean destinations. Late last year a survey of 875 U.S. travelers revealed Europe as the most-desired destination for 2013, with European destinations representing 40 percent of all responses. The Caribbean only garnered 7 percent of responses.
The Fly.com summer study used data from more than 2.28 million user searches with travel dates between June 1 and Aug. 31, 2013. Searches were conducted between Jan. 1 and May 31, 2013.
To find the best international fares for summer travel, visit Fly.com‘s Fare Calendars.
20 Most Popular International Summer Destinations:
Destination — Region — Best Roundtrip Fare incl. Tax
1. San Juan, Puerto Rico — Caribbean — $115
2. London, England — Europe — $878
3. Paris, France — Europe — $829
4. Montego Bay, Jamaica — Caribbean — $347
5. Dublin, Ireland — Europe — $585
6. San Jose, Costa Rica — Central America — $342
7. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic — Caribbean — $414
8. Rome, Italy — Europe — $881
9. Shanghai, China — Asia — $812
10. Barcelona, Spain — Europe — $823
11. Lima, Peru — South America — $605
12. Oranjestad, Aruba — Caribbean — $208
13. Madrid, Spain — Europe — $772
14. Nassau, Bahamas — Caribbean — $257
15. Manila, Philippines — Asia — $860
16. Bangkok, Thailand — Asia — $989
17. Frankfurt, Germany — Europe — $768
18. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — Caribbean — $208
19. Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands — Caribbean — $280
20. Athens, Greece — Europe — $846
0
0
Average Rating