2026 travel trends

This summer, the world’s eye will turn to North America as the newly expanded World Cup takes place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Three quarters of the 104 matches will be staged in the U.S., which will also be commemorating the 250^th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in July. While much of the focus will be on domestic happenings, plenty of Americans are heading abroad this year. Once again, they’re in search of unique experiences that take them somewhere new mentally and emotionally as well as physically. These 2026 travel trends are shaping their journeys.

Going AI-Native

Expedia and Booking.com seized on the opportunity when OpenAI began launching apps within ChatGPT. The online travel agencies were among the first partners for the gen AI’s apps software development kit, and they have been using it to convert travelers seeking travel tips into customers.

“We’re one of the first travel partners with an app in ChatGPT, with our flight and lodging information appearing directly in ChatGPT conversations,” Expedia Group CEO Ariane Gorin wrote on LinkedIn. “By bridging the gap between planning in ChatGPT conversations and booking on Expedia, we see enormous potential to create seamless traveler experiences.”

Since then, Expedia has hired Google alumnus Xavi Amatriain as its first chief AI officer, a sign the company views AI as a long-term growth sector for the industry. Google itself is developing an agentic AI for Gemini to promote AI-based trip planning.

As Seen on TV

South Korea’s top cultural ambassadors right now are a trio of cartoons who make hits and dispatch demons. “KPop Demon Hunters,” a love letter to Korea’s top cultural export, K-Pop, and older cultural history. The Seoul Tourism Organization has embraced the phenomenon by creating a journey through the city that includes eating the same meals the ladies of Huntrix do, making knot bracelets like theirs, and learning K-Pop dances. Airbnb’s new experiences platform offers virtual sessions with K-Pop stars and choreographers and even stays in the house where BTS filmed their reality series “In The Soop.”

Another Netflix hit, Bridgerton, has contributed millions to the economy of Bath, England. Visit Bath’s Emma Freyling told the BBC that “the value to the local economy is about £5 million ($6.7 million), from the afternoon teas, walking tours, and hotel stays all themed around Bridgerton.”

In an increasingly screen-based world, it’s a way for travelers to combine authentic in-person experiences with the fantasy worlds that entertain them.

Bring the Pets

From comfy beds to tasty treats, hotels have been offering amenities to furry friends. Now, pets are getting VIP treatment on their way to their destinations as well. Skye Pets has been flying pets in-cabin around Australia since 2021, and this year it’s expanding service to longer-distance flights including flights between Los Angeles and Melbourne and transatlantic service between New York and London.

“We’ve created a service where the journey is as stress-free as the destination. For many of our passengers, both human and animal, it’s the first time they’ve ever been able to travel together like this,” founder Joanna Maddison told ChannelLife.

Italy’s aviation authority recently allowed dogs up to 66 pounds with carrier to ride in the passenger cabin, good news for travelers who are increasingly taking their pets along on vacation.

New Long-Haul Routes

As new engine designs and fuel technologies improve efficiencies, planes can go farther without stopping, which means more nonstop destinations are within reach from major airport hubs. Debuting this year are flights on Air Canada from Montreal to Catania, Sicily; on Alaska Airlines from Seattle to Rome; on American Airlines from Dallas to Athens and Philadelphia to Budapest; on United Airlines from Newark to Split, Croatia; and on Delta from New York to Sardinia and Malta and from Atlanta to Riyadh.

Delta is buying 30 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners to accommodate increased transatlantic demand. “2026 is off to a strong start with top-line growth accelerating on consumer and corporate demand,” CEO Ed Bastian said. “For the full year, we expect to deliver margin expansion and earnings growth of 20% year-over-year.”

A Sense of Belonging

Travel, especially on the high end, has gotten more expensive since countries reopened after Covid closures. At first, it was because there was a great deal of pent-up demand from travelers stuck at home too long, combined with restrictions on the number of visitors as countries reopened slowly. Through global inflation and sustained demand, prices have stuck, but in many cases travelers have not felt like they got their money’s worth.

There are some experiences on offer, though, that truly immerse visitors in the fabric of local life and ensure a positive destination impact, allowing travelers to leave a place better than they found it. One such example is Royal Insider’s invitation-only custom Burgundy trips, which serve the ultra-luxury market a minimum cost of €50,000 ($58,000) conducted by local “culture bearers” who show visitors a real day in the life.

“We serve our culture bearers first. We honor their traditions, ensure that their customs are respectfully observed, shape rewarding interactions with interesting world travelers and are always pursuing ways for our guests’ travels to uplift the community,” Royal Insider founder Kevin Molony said. “That’s our ‘why.’ And our ‘why’ is the reason our guests are invited inside by prominent culture bearers to feel their hearts beating in rhythm with people who have a whole different way of living a lifetime. Isn’t that the Holy Grail of travel?”

Micro-Cations

In the old days, there was one family vacation a year. But with the accessibility and growth of air travel, Americans can hop on a short trip basically any time there’s a long weekend. Rather than one big trip, they’re taking several trips of four nights or less. Fifteen percent of Americans earning six figures or more are taking three or more summer trips, according to Travel Pulse. Increasingly, travelers are taking advantage of the value travel advisors add to enhance their stays.

“What’s changed is that they’re increasingly turning to us not just for bookings, but to elevate their entire experience – with upgraded amenities and exclusive connections,” Kristy Mosolino, owner of Wishes Travel in Birmingham, Ala., told Travel Pulse. “Instead of planning quick trips on their own, they rely on us to secure the very best accommodations. Through our consortium partnerships, we’re able to offer top-tier hotels with perks you can’t get booking directly – think complimentary breakfast, early check-in, late checkout, and food and beverage credits. These extras truly transform a simple staycation into a memorable, special escape and makes the micro-cation really worth the investment.”

Self-Improvement

As the saying goes, “travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” Some discerning travelers want to use their vacations not just to get away from the ordinary, but to truly come back a different person. While there are now ear buds and portable devices that translate languages instantly, some travelers would rather immerse themselves in the local language and soak up as much as they can. Others go to improve their cooking skills with intensive classes in international cuisines. Still others are looking to combine cultural experiences with short-term certification programs, taking bleisure to the max. Then, there are those who want to truly unplug and experience wellness travel that goes well beyond the spa.

“There has been a significant shift among affluent travelers in 2026 toward destinations that prioritize privacy, wellness, and intentional cultural or nature-driven immersion,” said Sam Wise, founder of Jetset Select. “These choices signal new directions in luxury travel that will shape where global tourism demand, investment, and development move next.”

Stay Cool

In the wake of the three hottest years on record, travelers want to keep things cool on vacation. While many flock to the major cities of Europe in the summer, higher temperatures in places so unused to them that many buildings don’t have air conditioning, is driving others to seek out “coolcations” in more temperate zones. Countries in northern Europe are seeing more summertime visitors as the Mediterranean area heats up, and more traditional summer destinations are seeing visitors take advantage of the spring and autumn seasons that feature more comfortable temperatures and showcase nature.

“Northern Europe, once a niche summer escape, may need to manage its own version of ‘overtourism’ as hotter summers drive demand,” Jenny Southan, CEO of Globetrender, told CNBC. “For the travel industry, adapting to this new normal is no longer optional – it’s the difference between thriving in a changing climate and being left behind.”

The Extra Mile

Wherever they go, for however long, travelers are looking to come home with memorable experiences in the bank. As the mantra of “buy experiences, not things” continues to grow in popularity, people are willing to spend top dollar on cultural immersion and private guides, so long as they’re getting their money’s worth. A combination of advanced technology and old-fashioned human connections are helping them do it.