As Miami prepares for an influx of football fans this week, Chicago and Indianapolis supporters lucky enough to score tickets to the big game on Sunday are racing to lock in travel plans.

If early indications about the number of travelers heading to Florida for the game says anything, Chicago has a leg up on Indianapolis, with more travelers departing Chicago for Miami and Ft. Lauderdale in the days leading up to the game, according to data from Expedia.com.

Still considering a trip to the Super Bowl? Expedia offers the following tips:

• Know the area: The stadium is on the border of Miami-Dade and Broward counties in South Florida, providing a lot of options for nearby areas in which to stay -- but game-goers should expect to drive 25-30 minutes on average from their hotel to the game.
  Ft. Lauderdale is actually closer to the stadium than downtown Miami and South Beach. Areas like South Beach, Downtown Miami and North Miami Beach still have plenty of rooms.
  The further north you go, the cheaper the hotels are. Palm Beach, about an hour north of the stadium, is showing rates from $252 versus $400 in South Beach.
• Travel booking savvy: Book flight and hotel together to save. Airfares and hotels will be at a premium, but one strategy for saving is to book flight and hotel together as a package.
• Leave wiggle room in your travel dates: Many hotels are requiring three- or four-night minimum stays. You will get a better selection of hotels and rates if you arrive on Thursday. In addition, you may find better flight availability and fewer crowds by flying back the Tuesday or Wednesday after the game rather than Monday.

• Special Section: Super Bowl XLI