Big Apple and Cancun Are Top Thanksgiving Destinations for Americans

Richmond, VA, October 28 2021 — Americans are planning their trips and packing their bags for bright lights and warm beaches, according to the Allianz Travel Insurance Top 10 Thanksgiving Destination Index, which found that travel-ready Americans have made New York City and Cancun, Mexico their top picks for 2021 turkey-day destinations.

Allianz Partners reviewed more than two million travel itineraries** around the Thanksgiving holiday for roundtrip flights departing from United States airports from Saturday, November 20 to Thursday, November 25, and returning Friday, November 26 to Tuesday, November 30 and revealed the hottest domestic and international destinations for Thanksgiving 2021. 

With the return of Broadway and exciting outdoor seasonal activities like the annual Thanksgiving Day parade, New York City reclaimed the top domestic spot with Seattle, Washington slipping to second and Boston, Massachusetts in third place (up two slots from 2020). Atlanta, Georgia and Dallas Fort-Worth, Texas round out the top five, while Los Angeles, down three spots, came in at sixth place.

A popular fixture in Allianz’s annual survey, Mexico is the top international Thanksgiving destination darling for Americans with Cancun, San Jose Del Cabo and Puerto Vallarta claiming all three top spots. All but two of the top 10 international locations, with London and Paris in fourth and eighth place respectively, are beach destinations, showing that this Thanksgiving, in addition to the stuffing, Americans are searching for a side of vitamin D.

 “Americans are craving a return to the good old days and nothing beats a traditional Thanksgiving surrounded by the sights and sounds of New York,” said Daniel Durazo, director of marketing and communications for Allianz Partners USA. “Whether you’ll be enjoying your Thanksgiving in the Big Apple or on the beaches of Mexico, it’s smart to protect your trip with travel insurance. In an increasingly uncertain world, travel insurance offers peace of mind by protecting pre-paid travel expenses from unforeseen covered events that may cause trip cancellations or interruptions, significant travel delays, baggage issues and medical emergencies.”

With more Americans traveling this year compared to 2020, it’s important to understand the COVID-19 guidelines in travel destinations. Earlier this year, Allianz Partners USA announced enhancements*** to many of its travel insurance products in most states through an Epidemic Coverage Endorsement.  Products that include this endorsement may include covered reasons that provide coverage to customers who become ill with COVID-19 or a future epidemic, are individually ordered to quarantine, or are denied boarding due to a suspected illness. Specifically, products with these enhancements may include epidemic-related illness as a covered reason to cancel or interrupt a trip, or seek reimbursement for emergency medical care, emergency medical transportation, change fees and loyalty points redeposit fees. Availability of the Epidemic Coverage Endorsement, and specific covered reasons under that endorsement, varies by product and by state. See your plan for details.

Allianz Partners offers travel insurance* through most major U.S. airlines, leading travel agents, online travel agencies and directly to consumers. For more information on Allianz and the policies offered for travelers, please visit: http://www.allianztravelinsurance.com.

Top Domestic Destinations

Swipe to view more

  2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
1 New York Seattle New York New York New York New York
2 Seattle New York Atlanta Atlanta Atlanta Los Angeles
3 Boston Los Angeles Orlando Los Angeles Los Angeles Orlando
4 Atlanta Dallas Los Angeles Orlando Orlando San Francisco
5 Dallas - Fort Worth Boston Boston Boston Boston Boston
6 Los Angeles Orlando Dallas Dallas Chicago Atlanta
7 Phoenix Phoenix Seattle Seattle San Francisco Chicago
8 Orlando Fort Lauderdale Detroit Detroit Dallas Newark
9 Chicago Atlanta Chicago Phoenix Washington, D.C. Las Vegas
10 Detroit Las Vegas Phoenix Minneapolis Seattle Fort Lauderdale
Top International Destinations

Swipe to view more

  2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016
1 Cancun, Mexico Cancun, Mexico Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Cancun, Mexico Cancun, Mexico Cancun, Mexico
2 San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico Cancun, Mexico London, United Kingdom London, United Kingdom London, United Kingdom
3 Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Puerto Vallarta, Mexico London, United Kingdom Paris, France Paris, France San Juan, Puerto Rico
4 London, United Kingdom Oranjestad, Aruba Paris, France San Juan, Puerto Rico Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Tokyo, Japan
5 Montego Bay, Jamaica Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic San Juan, Puerto Rico San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico Tokyo, Japan Paris, France
6 Oranjestad, Aruba
Santiago, Dominican Republic
San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico Montego Bay, Jamaica San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
7 Nassau, Bahamas
Montego Bay, Jamaica
Nassau, Bahamas Nassau, Bahamas Montego Bay, Jamaica San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico
8 Paris, France Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Rome, Italy Hong Kong, China
9 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Punta Cana, Dominican Republic Montego Bay, Jamaica
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Nassau, Bahamas Oranjestad, Aruba
10 Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Havana, Cuba Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City, Mexico Oranjestad, Aruba Sydney, Australia

About Allianz Partners

Allianz Partners (AGA Service Company) is a leading consumer specialty insurance and assistance company with operation centers in 35 countries. In the United States, the company offers Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans and serves over 45 million customers annually. In addition to travel insurance, the company offers tuition insurance, event ticket protection, registration protection for endurance events and unique travel assistance services such as international medical assistance and concierge services. The company also serves as an outsource provider for in-bound call center services and claims administration for property and casualty insurers and credit card companies.

* Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply to all plans. Plans are available only to U.S. residents. Not all plans are available in all jurisdictions. Benefits and limits vary by plan. For a complete description of the coverage and benefit limits offered under your specific plan, carefully review your plan’s Letter of Confirmation/Declarations and Certificate of Insurance/Policy. Insurance coverage is underwritten by BCS Insurance Company (OH, Administrative Office: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), rated "A‐" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Co., under BCS Form No. 52.201 series or 52.401 series, or Jefferson Insurance Company (NY, Administrative Office: Richmond, VA), rated "A+" (Superior) by A.M. Best Co., under Jefferson Form No. 101‐C series or 101‐P series, depending on state of residence. AGA Service Company d/b/a Allianz Global Assistance is the licensed producer and administrator of Allianz Travel-branded travel protection plans in the U.S. and an affiliate of Jefferson Insurance Company. Allianz Global Assistance, TravelSmart, and AgentSmart are marks of AGA Service Company or its affiliates. The insured shall not receive any special benefit or advantage due to the affiliation between Allianz Global Assistance and Jefferson Insurance Company. Plans include insurance and assistance services. Noninsurance benefits/products are provided and serviced by Allianz Global Assistance. SmartBenefits proactive payments and “no receipts” payments available only on certain plans.  For plans that include proactive payments: when you opt in and provide flight information, Allianz Global Assistance will monitor flights and send flight status and benefit alerts, including alerts about flight delays that qualify for automated travel delay payments. Standard message/data rates apply to SMS alerts.  Automated claims and payment system availability is not guaranteed and is subject to our sole discretion. All claims subject to policy terms, conditions, and exclusions.

**Methodology: The data of U.S. travelers’ 2021 Thanksgiving plans was gathered by analyzing the number of customers that went through the online booking process of airfare and package paths for partners offering Allianz Global Assistance travel insurance, to generate itineraries for roundtrip flights departing from U.S. airports from 11/20/2021 –11/25/2021, returning 11/26/2021 - 11/30/2021. In total, 2.3 million itineraries were analyzed using this methodology.

*** While the new Epidemic Coverage Endorsement adds certain covered reasons that apply to specific epidemic-related situations, products otherwise generally do not cover claims due to known, foreseeable, or expected events, epidemics, government prohibitions, warnings, or travel advisories, or fear of travel, and coverage can vary by state.  Please see our Coverage Alert for information about other temporary accommodations that may be available.  Benefits for quarantines only apply when an eligible traveler is specifically named and individually ordered to quarantine by order or official directive of a government, public regulatory authority, or the captain of a commercial vessel on which that eligible traveler is booked to travel during the covered trip, based on that eligible traveler’s exposure to COVID-19. The benefit does not cover travel restrictions (whether or not they are referred to as “quarantine”) that apply generally or broadly (a) to some segment or all of a population, geographical area, building, or vessel (including without limitation shelter-in-place, stay-at-home, safer-at-home, or other similar restriction), or (b) based on to, from, or through where the person is traveling. Coverage may not cover the full cost of your quarantine and is subject to applicable benefit limits. See your plan for details.