Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Hotwire Ranks Most Popular New Year’s Travel Destinations

The top three cities booked on Hotwire are Orlando, Chicago and Las Vegas, while London made the list for the first time.

by Staff
December 26, 2012
2 min to read


Hotwire.com announced Dec. 20 the top 10 most popular destinations travelers are visiting for New Year’s celebrations. Orlando returned to the top of the list from last year as the most popular destination.

This year, more than half of cities on the list are warm, southern destinations, but popular cities like New York, Las Vegas and New Orleans remain on the list.

Ad Loading...

Ranked second, Chicago moved up two spots since last year due to its fireworks display over Lake Michigan, according to Hotwire. This move pushed Las Vegas and New York down to third and fourth place, respectively. 

London, the only international city in the rankings, made the list for the first time. Miami is also a newcomer and placed fifth.

Los Angeles and New Orleans fell from sixth and fifth place last year, to the last two cities on the list.

“Booking trends show that travelers are opting for warm weather backdrops for their New Year's Eve celebrations alongside the bigger, more traditional celebration cities,” said Clem Bason, president of the Hotwire Group. “Some of the best deals and great experiences can be found in cities like Orlando, Chicago and San Diego, where you can stay over the holiday for under $100 per night.”

Rank

City

Average Nightly
Rates on Hotwire

1

Orlando, Fla.

$73

2

Chicago, Ill.

$88

3

Las Vegas, Nev.

$133

4

New York City, N.Y

$231

5

Miami, Fla.

$157

6

San Francisco, Calif.

$114

7

London, England

$128

8

San Diego, Calif.

$79

9

Los Angeles, Calif.

$111

10

New Orleans, La.

$142


The 10 most popular New Year's destinations and average prices are based on hotel bookings made on Hotwire.com on Dec. 4, 2012, for travel between Dec. 30, 2012 and Jan. 2, 2013.

Ad Loading...

More Rental Operations

Rental car agent shows woman her choice of rental car
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study

While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.

Read More →
an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
globe of world and drivers license from UK
Rental Operations•September 28, 2026

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?

For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Scenes from Car Rental Shows past
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 23, 2026

ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers

The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.

Read More →
hand holding phone and Turo logo
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 21, 2026

Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service

Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.

Read More →
plane, palm trees, car rental sign
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•September 15, 2026

Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap

A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Team members of U-Save's new franchise
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 15, 2026

U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana

The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.

Read More →
A traveler searches for rental cars with an AI bot
Rental Operations•September 14, 2026

When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?

As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)

Read More →
map of europe and summer car rental rates
Rental Operations•September 11, 2026

European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country

Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
thumbnail of Chris Brown and Mike DeLorenzo with title Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•September 8, 2026

Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?

As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.

Read More →
Ad Loading...