The prices for flights and hotels in Washington, D.C., are at an all-time high due to Inauguration Day – but, for tourists planning to travel to D.C. post-inauguration, costs are expected to decline.
President Donald Trump has drawn in crowds from all over America who traveled to the nation’s capital to witness the historic swearing-in ceremony, and tourists have been paying increased prices for transportation and sleeping arrangements.
Searches for flights to D.C. for the week of Inauguration Day were up by nearly 50% in comparison to the week prior, according to Google Flights search results.
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Recent searches on Hotels.com and Booking.com revealed costs for hotel stays amid inauguration week, with prices hitting in the $1,000 range and spiking as high as $3,000 or more per night. Prices will drop by 50% to 85% at several hotels after Jan. 20.
Prices for hotels and flights are at an all-time high in Washington, D.C., due to President Trump’s inauguration celebration. (iStock)
The average cost of a hotel room during the inauguration weekend in D.C. was roughly $700, while the typical weekend cost of a hotel room in the city falls in the $300 range.
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Last-minute flights to the city were costing tourists a pretty penny, with a round-trip flight from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, costing $1,888 and a round trip ticket from Dallas, Texas, to D.C. totaling $760.
Americans from all over the country are visiting D.C. to celebrate President Trump’s inauguration, and some might have to wait for flight and hotel prices to return to normal. (Kevin Lamarque/REUTERS, Pool)
Compare these prices to later this week, with a round trip flight from Dallas to Washington, D.C. only costing passengers $180 — meaning inauguration travel from Dallas alone resulted in a more than 420% increase.
And, the same flight from Fort Lauderdale to the nation’s capital will cost $323 next week — a 584% decrease compared to days closer to Jan. 20.
Prices for flights should be on the decline starting Thursday, Jan. 23, with Friday being a cheaper day to fly into the capital, according to search results on upcoming air travel to D.C.
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Hotel prices will begin to fall back to their average price on Thursday and reach a normal pricing average on Friday, similar to the progression of flight costs.
One travel expert says the decline in prices should start this week, but some cities may not see a normal return to average costs until early February. (iStoc, accor)
“Flight prices will always skyrocket with increased demand. Keep in mind, this is also a holiday weekend on top of the excitement of the inauguration, so we have seen an extra surge in attendance with many people having that extra day off work,” Kristin Petersen, travel advisor for Travelmation, shared with Fox News Digital.
“As the festivities die down, and the dignitaries fly home, you will start to see travel prices return to normal.”
Prices will vary depending on your location, which means some cities may still be at a high until next week and eventually return to regular pricing by the beginning of February, Petersen said.
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“When the inauguration was moved inside, they started dismantling the set-up in front of the Capitol Building, so you will not be able to see any remnants of the inauguration,” she explained in reference to travelers who are currently in, or soon traveling to D.C.
“I would suggest making a reservation to tour the Capitol Building and see the Rotunda in person, if you plan on visiting at any point in the future.”