Lowe's giving stranded travelers holiday hotel rooms for free the night before Thanksgiving
Lowe's and Wyndham have teamed up to offer a free holiday hotel for stranded air travelers the night before Thanksgiving. (Photo courtesy of Lowe's)
As the Thanksgiving holidays get closer, so do the headaches that come with traveling which can get hectic. Airports will be flooded with travelers scrambling to get to their destinations. And with a surge in air travel, there’s a chance of flight delays and cancellations preventing many from getting home for the holidays.
And if you’re unfortunately stranded and searching for somewhere to stay, Lowes and Wyndham are creating a unique holiday experience at several airport hotels.
On Wednesday, Nov. 23, air travelers impacted by flight cancellations or overnight delays could get a free stay at one of five Wyndham airport hotels.
RELATED: AAA: Thanksgiving travel to nearly hit pre-pandemic levels
The hotels participating in the giveaway are the Wyndham Garden La Guardia South in New York, La Quinta by Wyndham LAX in Los Angeles, Wyndham Chicago O’Hare in Chicago, La Quinta by Wyndham DFW West Glades Park in Dallas, and Wyndham Garden Miami Int'l Airport in Miami, according to Lowe's.
Lowe's and Wyndham have teamed up to offer a free holiday hotel for stranded air travelers the night before Thanksgiving. (Photo courtesy of Lowe's)
"We know that there are few things more frustrating than being stuck in an unfamiliar city during the holidays, away from the creature comforts of home, family and friends," Jen Wilson, SVP Enterprise Brand and Marketing at Lowe's, said in a release. "While even our Holiday Home Layover experience cannot replace the feeling of being with loved ones during the holidays, it will surely bring some warmth. We're thrilled to have the chance to provide select travelers with a memorable holiday experience – not just through our surprisingly beautiful holiday décor offerings, but also our traditional home improvement offerings, electronics and more."
How does the holiday giveaway work?
If you find yourself stranded, you can enter for a chance at getting the free stay at the hotel starting at 9 a.m. ET on Nov. 23 through 2:59 a.m. ET on Nov. 24.
Lowe’s will have hotel rooms available in five major cities available to legal residents 21 years of age and older. Up to only four people can be traveling in their party.
Lowe's and Wyndham have teamed up to offer a free holiday hotel for stranded air travelers the night before Thanksgiving. (Photo courtesy of Lowe's)
According to Lowe’s, the person has to book their flight on or before Nov. 11 for the flight occurring on Nov. 23 from an airport that’s within seven miles of one of the participating Wyndham hotels.
The free hotel stays are first-come-first-serve, so the timing of when you know your flight has been delayed or canceled will affect your chances of getting a room.
For more information, and to let Lowe’s know if you need a room, visit LowesHomeLayover.com.
Lowe's and Wyndham have teamed up to offer a free holiday hotel for stranded air travelers the night before Thanksgiving. (Photo courtesy of Lowe's)
Thanksgiving travel outlook
Last week, AAA projected that the Thanksgiving holiday travel rush will come just shy of pre-pandemic levels. The auto club predicted 54.6 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving.
That number is a 1.5% increase over 2021 and 98% of pre-pandemic volumes. This year is expected to be the third busiest holiday travel since AAA started tracking the numbers in 2000, FOX 13 Tampa noted.
Airline executives said that based on bookings, they predict big demand for flights over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's, the AP reported. Travel experts say the best deals for airfares and hotels are already gone.
RELATED: Travel advice, strategies for best deals this holiday season
U.S. consumers are facing the highest inflation in 40 years, and there is growing concern about a potential recession. That isn't showing up in travel numbers, however.
Citing October stats from the Transportation Security Administration, the Associated Press reported that the number of travelers going through airport checkpoints has recovered to nearly 95% of 2019 traffic. Travel industry officials say holiday travel might top pre-pandemic levels.
RELATED: Avoiding holiday travel hassles
Airlines have struggled to manage the big crowds, even though they have hired workers to replace those who left after COVID-19 hit. The rates of canceled and delayed flights rose above pre-pandemic levels this summer, causing airlines to slow down plans to add more flights, the Associated Press noted.
FOX13 Tampa and the Associated Press contributed to this story. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.