Study Names Atlanta ‘Best Winter Holiday Destination’

A new study from WalletHub names Atlanta the Best Winter Holiday Destination in the U.S. in 2024.

With 77% of Americans planning to travel this winter, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on the Best Winter Holiday Destinations in 2024, as well as expert commentary, to supplement its money-saving selection of the Best Travel Credit Cards.

Focusing on cost and convenience rather than scenic beauty, WalletHub compared nearly 70 of the largest U.S. metro areas grouped by warm and cold weather. Each destination was analyzed based on 37 key metrics, primarily the expense and hassle of traveling to each location but also factors such as weather forecasts, safety and variety of activities.

The best Cold-Weather Destinations were…

1. Atlanta, GA
2. New York, NY
3. Washington, DC
4. Chicago, IL
5. Cincinnati, OH
6. St. Louis, MO
7. Denver, CO
8. Philadelphia, PA
9. Boston, MA
10. Kansas City, MO

The best Warm-Weather Destinations were…

1. Las Vegas, NV
2. San Diego, CA
3. Dallas, TX
4. Austin, TX
5. Phoenix, AZ
6. Houston, TX
7. San Francisco, CA
8. Tampa, FL
9. Charleston, SC
10. Miami, FL

So how did Atlanta get its #1 spot? According to WalletHub, Atlanta ranked very high when it came to travel costs, weather, and the many attractions and activities available. The highlights looked like this…

• Overall rank for Atlanta: 1^st
• 10^th – Travel Costs & Hassles
• 8^th – Attractions
• 2^nd – Weather
• 1^st – Activities 

Best vs. Worst

• The average flight to a popular cold winter destination costs $285, lasts 4 hours and 8 minutes, and has 0.4 connections. In comparison, the average flight to a popular warm winter destination costs $364, lasts 5 hours and 9 minutes, and has 0.61 connections.
   
• Among cold destinations, Washington, D.C., has the lowest price for a three-star hotel room, which is 3.3 times lower than Bridgeport, Connecticut, the city with the highest. 
   
• Among warm destinations, Las Vegas, Nevada has the lowest price for a three-star hotel room, which is 4.9 times lower than Honolulu, the city with the highest.
   
• Among cold destinations, Chicago has the most restaurants (per square root of population), which is 6.6 times more than in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the city with the fewest. 
   
• Among warm destinations, Miami has the most restaurants (per square root of population), which is 25.5 times more than in Deltona, Florida, the city with the fewest.

You can view the full report HERE.