These 4 California cities are among the worst places for holiday travel, Forbes says
California is home to some of the worst cities for holiday travel, Forbes found in its latest ranking.
The study comes as travel is ramping up for Thanksgiving.
“Historically, visitors to certain cities have faced a greater risk of air travel disruptions, traffic congestion, car accidents and inflated hotel prices during the holiday season,” the global media company said.
To come up with its list of the 50 worst cities for traveling during the holidays, Forbes looked at weighted metrics such as experiences with driving, air travel and the city.
This includes the number of fatal car crashes between November and January, gas prices, crime rate, average hotel prices and the number of tourist attractions.
Forbes also analyzed the percentage of delayed, canceled or diverted flights.
Four California cities made it on the top 20 list of worst cities to travel during the holiday season.
Which California cities are worst for holiday travel?
Los Angeles was the highest-ranking California city on Forbes’ list of the worst cities for holiday travel, landing at No. 2.
According to the study, 18.9% of flights going out of Los Angeles were delayed, canceled or diverted during the holiday season between 2018 and 2022.
On average, about 5.1 people per 100,000 residents were involved in fatal car crashes in Los Angeles during the holiday season, Forbes found.
San Diego ranked at No. 17, with about 19.2% of holiday flights changed.
Fresno made the list at No. 16.
Sacramento barely avoided being ranked in the top 20, coming in at No. 21.
Which U.S. city is the worst for holiday travel?
According to Forbes, the worst city for holiday travel is Memphis, which ranked No. 1 on the publication’s list.
According to the Forbes study, Memphis had the highest crime rate among cities on the list and came in second in terms of having the fewest restaurants with four or more stars. It also had the fifth worst transit score.
Jacksonville, Florida, ranked No. 3 with the worst walk score and third-worst transit score.
New York City was at No. 4 with the highest average hotel price for a four-night stay during the holidays.
Tucson, Arizona, rounded out the top five worst cities.
Which cities are in the top 10?
These are the top 10 worst cities in the United States for holiday travel, according to Forbes.
1. Memphis, Tennessee
2. Los Angeles
3. Jacksonville, Florida
4. New York
5. Tucson, Arizona
6. Oklahoma City
7. Miami
8. Indianapolis
9. Colorado Springs, Colorado
10. San Antonio
This story was originally published November 21, 2023 at 9:13 AM with the headline "These 4 California cities are among the worst places for holiday travel, Forbes says."