Top Destinations for Car Rentals during Thanksgiving

New data shows that warm-weather destinations in the United States will see the highest number of rental car drivers on the road during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.

According to Allianz Partners’ Top 10 Thanksgiving Rental Car Report, the company found that the top five rental car locations this upcoming holiday season are Orlando, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Miami.

Rounding out the top 10 was Dallas, New York City, Kahului, Chicago and Denver, respectively. The data was collected from more than 5,000 car rental reservations made by Americans traveling between November 19-29.

“Americans will give thanks this year that the rental car shortage has subsided and they can hit the open road to visit family and friends this Thanksgiving,” Allianz Partners USA director of external communications Daniel Durazo said.

“With gas prices still in flux, it’s always a smart idea to look for savings. Allianz’s Rental Car Damage Protector can save travelers money at the rental car counter, allowing you to spend more on turkey and all the fixings and less on travel,” Durazo continued.

The car rental industry isn’t the only travel sector preparing for a busy Thanksgiving, as United Airlines announced on Wednesday that it expects to carry an estimated 5.5 million passengers during the holiday period.

Earlier this week, AAA released its official Thanksgiving predictions, saying that over 54 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home during the 2022 holiday.

The data shows that an estimated 4.5 million people will travel via plane during the Thanksgiving holiday—which is defined as the five-day period from November 23-27—an eight percent increase from 2021 and nearly 99 percent of the 2019 volume.

AAA also revealed that average hotel booking prices across the U.S. have increased in 2022 ahead of Thanksgiving. The average cost of a hotel stay is up eight percent compared to 2021, but the overall price has decreased in many of the top holiday destinations, including Las Vegas and Denver.