Mobile is flying high in the online travel industry

Retail isn’t the only industry with growing mobile web activity-the travel sector is experiencing a mobile surge as well. The latest research from The Nielsen Co. shows more consumers are turning to travel mobile sites and apps to access information, book flights and hotel rooms, and rent cars anytime, anywhere.

Travelocity leads the pack, with 1.263 million unique monthly visitors in October, according to Nielsen. That’s up a sizable 32.3% from 955,000 in October 2008. Expedia was close behind, with 1.258 million visitors in October, up only 4.7% from the same period the previous year.

Following are the top 10 travel mobile sites and apps gauged by unique monthly visitors, according to Nielsen:

1. Travelocity, 1.263 million, 955,000, 32.3%
2. Expedia, 1.258 million, 1.201, million, 4.7%
3. Priceline, 1.2 million, 860,000, 39.5%
4. Orbitz, 1.12 million, 904,000, 23.9%
5. Delta Airlines, 995,000, 827,000, 20.3%
6. American Airlines, 982,000, 633,000, 55.1%
7. Southwest Airlines, 956,000, 934,000, 2.4%
8. Hotels.com, 725,000, NA, NA
9. Continental Airlines, 669,000, 539,000, 24.1%
10. United Airlines, 554,000, 387,000, 43.2%