Mariah Carey isn't the only one defrosting in preparation for the winter season: San Antonio has warmed up as one of WalletHub's top best warm weather travel destinations for 2024.

Every year, WalletHub's analysts divide nearly 70 of the biggest U.S. metropolitan areas into two categories: the top "warm" and "cold" weather destinations. The study evaluated every metro based on 37 factors, including travel costs, local costs, weather predictions, and safety.

San Antonio-New Braunfels earned a score of 59.92 out of 100 possible points to claim the No. 11 spot nationally in 2024. The metro slipped six spots from its previous 2023 ranking as No. 5, which it first achieved in 2022.

The top five best warm weather winter destinations are Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada (No. 1); San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California (No. 2); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (No. 3); Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown (No. 4); and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona.

San Antonio ranked No. 7 in the national "travel costs and hassles" categories, showing major favorability towards the busy yet efficient San Antonio International Airport. The metro's near year-round sunshine earned it No. 12 in the "weather" ranking out of all 69 U.S. metros.

Here's how San Antonio-New Braunfels performed in the remaining four categories:

• No. 11 – Attractions rank
• No. 14 – Warm weather activities rank
• No. 16 – Local costs rank
• No. 36 – Safety rank

As in previous years, the highest concentration of top warm weather destinations was in Florida (10 metros), followed by Texas (nine metros), then California (eight metros).

Besides DFW and Austin, the only other Texas metro to earn a spot in the top 10 in 2024 was Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land (No. 6).

Atlanta, Georgia ranked No. 1 once again on the list of best cold weather destinations for winter vacations, outdoing New York City, New York (No. 2); Washington, D.C. (No. 3); and Chicago, Illinois (No. 4).

"Whether you love to have a chill in your bones during the winter travel season or prefer to escape to somewhere sunny, the top travel destinations can cost as little as $200-$300 to reach by plane from major U.S. cities, with no connections," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "In addition to being affordable, the top cities also have an abundance of attractions that fit their weather patterns, along with high-quality restaurants and relatively low crime rates."

The top 10 best warm weather destinations for winter vacations are:

• No. 1 – Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada
• No. 2 – San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California
• No. 3 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
• No. 4 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
• No. 5 – Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
• No. 6 – Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas
• No. 7 – San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California
• No. 8 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
• No. 9 – Charleston-North Charleston, South Carolina
• No. 10 – Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida

For the purpose of the study, "cold" weather was determined to be less than or equal to 46 degrees Fahrenheit, while "warm" weather was greater than or equal to 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Both guidelines were analyzed based on the 50-year average December temperatures.

The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.