Many Canadians dream of travel as the cold weather sets in.
As some parts of Ontario prepare for a big blast of snow this weekend, people may be thinking of a travel escape.
Travel company Expedia just released a report on some of the most popular travel destinations for Canadians and how to save on flights.
Based on search data, Expedia says Japan is becoming more popular.
Canadians are looking at three major Japanese cities — Osaka, Tokyo and Kyoto. These cities have seen search increases of 95 to 79 per cent.
Other places seeing an increase in search traffic include Dubai, Maldives and Chicago.
The destinations that got the most searches this winter include places closer to home such as New York, Cancun and Las Vegas, according to the report.
The most popular destinations for Canadians looking for a warm escape over the Christmas holidays include Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Delhi, Cancun and Las Vegas with travellers from Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal leading the charge, according to the report.
The top domestic trips include Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.
For those looking to save money on flights, Expedia offers a few tips.
For both domestic and international travel, Dec. 22 and 23 are the busiest days of the season, according to the report. Many travellers are flying out to visit their families and getaway for the holiday season.
The busiest days are often the most expensive.
The lightest travel time in December is the week of Dec. 4.
According to Expedia data, Fridays are typically the busiest days at the airport during the winter months, while Tuesdays see smaller crowds. To maximize savings, depart on a Sunday instead of Saturday to save around eight per cent on domestic flights, Expedia suggests.
The ideal booking window for winter travel is 21 to 30 days out for optimal savings, the report suggests.
Booking 14 to 20 days increases average prices by three per cent, whereas booking 91 plus days could see a jump of 32 per cent higher rates on average.
There are also several Black Friday sales travellers can take advantage of this week.
Expedia also suggests booking a morning flight as they are 18 per cent less prone to cancellations than flights after 3 p.m.
Lead photo of Kyoto, Japan: Andrey Grushniko
