Susan Hochman, who has been eagerly anticipating the opportunity to witness the solar eclipse on April 8, is preparing for her journey. She will be investing in a one-night stay at a modest hotel in Saranac Lake, New York, which falls within the path of the totality.
To secure her accommodation, she will be spending $650 for a night at a Best Western hotel. Typically, room rates at this establishment start as low as $99 during quieter periods, as shared by hotel staff.
Reflecting on the cost, the New York City resident expressed her surprise, stating, "I thought that was crazy. I almost fainted at the $650 rate quoted by the Best Western, but I am grateful that I only need to stay for one night."
Hochman made her reservation back in October of the previous year. However, she now realizes that she should have booked even earlier. "Despite my initial planning, I did not arrange my stay as far in advance as I should have," she admitted, referring to the escalated prices for lodging as "absolutely absurd."
Initially, Hochman intended to lodge at the nearby Saranac Waterfront Lodge, a luxurious resort by the lake, along with friends. Unfortunately, with a rate of $700 per night and a mandatory two-night stay, the hotel exceeded her budget.
The cost for a room with two queen beds and a view of the lake? $2,400. The room rate drops to $1,100 on April 8 on the day of the eclipse, according to the hotel, which added that guests started booking rooms there a year ago.
By contrast, the following night, April 9, the same room costs $131, while on April 15 room rates drop to $111.
The Hampton Inn in Carbondale, Illinois, also situated in the solar eclipse's path, doesn't have any rooms available on either April 7 or 8.
"We've been sold out for months now," the hotel said. A revenue management team sets the hotel's rates, which a spokesperson said "are much higher than usual" for the April event.
$1 billion boost
Eclipse-related tourism could pump as much as $1 billion into local economies. All along the roughly 115-mile-wide stretch of land from Texas to Maine, from where the moon's full blocking of the sun will be momentarily visible, towns are expecting a spike in business as hordes of sky-gazing tourists spend on everything from lodging and dining to souvenirs.
Other types of accommodations, like homes on Airbnb, are also in high demand. There has been a 1,000% increase in searches for stays along the path of totality, according to the home-sharing platform.
According to Vacasa, a vacation rental management company, tourists are most eager to watch the eclipse from Texas, based on searches for homes on its site. Following Texas, Vermont and Maine are the second and third most popular destinations for eclipse viewers.
If you're looking to book a home in Burlington, Vermont, the average daily rate is $506. In Dallas, the average daily rate is $375.
As for airline ticket prices, they have also seen an increase. The average flight price to Dallas-Fort Worth, landing on April 7, is $1,900, according to travel site Hopper.
For those last-minute travelers hoping to catch the eclipse, Hayley Berg, the lead economist at Hopper, suggests a money-saving tip. She recommends staying at hotels outside the path of totality and driving into the path on the day of the eclipse to experience it at a lower cost.
In response to the high demand for accommodations during the eclipse, Kayak has introduced a tool that allows users to search for the lowest-cost hotel destinations along the path of totality. According to Kayak, Montreal, Canada, offers the most affordable hotel rates and is also a city along the eclipse's path. Additionally, Montreal provides the best rental car deals on average.
