Orbitz Insider Index Reveals Most Popular Ski Destinations in North America for 2008/2009 Season

CHICAGO, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Last year marked a record-setting ski season for U.S. resorts with 60.5 million skier visits, according to the National Ski Areas Association(1). As travelers begin thinking about where to find the best deals and the most snow for the upcoming season, Orbitz predicts this year's most popular destinations based on customer bookings, and reveals where to find great savings.

"While ski vacations are more popular than ever before, the current economy presents new challenges for travelers on tighter budgets than in past years," said Heather Leisman, senior director of merchandizing for Orbitz. "Travelers looking for ski season savings need only a bit of expert advice on when and where to travel, and Orbitz has the insider knowledge to help them hit the slopes."

ORBITZ INSIDER SKI INDEX - 2008/2009 SEASON

According to Orbitz bookings for 2008/2009 ski season, Lake Tahoe takes the top spot, and Colorado makes a strong showing with six of its most popular destinations making the Top 10 list.

    Within these popular ski destinations, Orbitz helps travelers identify
where to find the best savings by offering the average daily hotel rates for
each destination.



                      2008/2009 ORBITZ INSIDER SKI INDEX

           2008        Ski Destinations         2008 Average Daily
          Ranking*                                  Hotel Rate**
             1            Lake Tahoe                    $116
             2            Breckenridge, CO              $225
             3            Park City, UT                 $239
             4            Vail, CO                      $286
             5            Aspen, CO                     $227
             6            Keystone, CO                  $149
             6            Winter Park, CO               $193
             8            Whistler, BC                  $292
             9            Banff, Canada                 $189
             10           Steamboat Springs, CO         $204

  *Based on hotel and vacation package bookings from 11/1/08 to 4/30/09 for
                           bookings as of 10/14/08

** Based on average daily hotel rates from 11/1/08 to 4/30/09 for bookings as

                                  of 10/14/08

SKI TIPS

When looking to cut vacation costs without sacrificing comfort, there are many different ways travelers can save when booking their ski vacations on Orbitz. The Orbitz Insiders have pulled together their top tips for ski savings:

-- Consider your lodging location. While slopeside "ski in/ski out" locations allow you to walk out your door and hop on the lift, opting for lodging a little further from the mountain can save you cash. And most ski resorts offer free shuttle services with stops throughout town, so getting to the lift is not a hassle.

-- Look for Alternative Lodging. For families and groups, alternative lodging like vacation rentals -- homes, condos, cabins -- can be much less expensive than booking multiple hotel rooms. Check out vacationrentals.orbitz.com for over 30,000 properties around the world.

-- Ski on off-peak dates. Busy holiday weekends, including Christmas and MLK weekend, and President's weekend, can be more expensive and very busy. If you want to save money and avoid long lift lines, think "off peak". And consider weekday vs. weekend trips and you'll save even more!

-- Less expensive Lift Tickets. If you know you'll be skiing at least a few days during your vacation, purchase lift tickets in advance on sites like Orbitz.com. And if considering lessons, remember that at many resorts, beginner lessons typically include a beginner lift ticket in the price.

For updates on the latest ski season promotions and deals, visit: www.orbitz.com/App/PerformMDLPDealsContent?deal_id=ski&cnt=PRO&type=fl1_qs

About Orbitz:

Orbitz (http://www.orbitz.com) is a leading online travel company that enables travelers to search for and purchase a broad array of travel products, including airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Since launching its website http://www.orbitz.com to the general public in June 2001, Orbitz has become one of the largest online travel sites in the world based on gross travel bookings. On Orbitz, consumers can search more than 80,000 suppliers worldwide including airlines, hotels and car rental companies. Orbitz is a brand that is owned and operated by Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW) .

(1) Kottke National End of Season Survey 2007/08