by Natasha Lair
Last updated: 10:20 AM ET, Fri October 31, 2025
Skyscanner has released its Travel Trends 2026 report, highlighting seven trends expected to shape travellers’ behaviour next year.
According to the report, 2026 travellers will increasingly curate trips that align with their passions, priorities, and personal sense of “worth it,” with the cost of living remaining a key consideration.
“Skyscanner's 2026 Travel Trends report shows how travel is about to get more personal than ever,” said Bryan Batista, CEO of Skyscanner.
“Whether it's building a trip around a must-stay 'destination hotel', getting lost in a new favourite book on a reading retreat, incorporating a beauty routine into their travel itinerary or bringing the whole family along for the journey, travel will become more curated, grounded and unique.”
The report combines Skyscanner’s own data with global consumer research and insights from brands including Reddit, Malin and Goetz, All Trails, and Penguin Books to identify seven trends shaping travel in 2026:
- Glowmads: Beauty routines are influencing travel decisions, with 33% of global travellers seeking local beauty experiences and 20% influenced by social media platforms like TikTok.
- Shelf Discovery: Culinary tourism is expanding beyond restaurants, with 35% of travellers planning to explore local supermarkets to experience authentic local culture.
- Altitude Shift: Year-round mountain escapes are gaining popularity, with 76% of travellers considering or planning alpine trips in summer or autumn 2026.
- Bookbound: Over half of travellers (57%) have booked or would consider trips inspired by literature, from reading retreats to visits to iconic libraries.
- Catching Flights and Feelings: Travel is increasingly social, with 55% of travellers having gone abroad to meet new people, including for friendship or dating.
- Family Miles: Multi-generational trips are rising, with 31% of travellers planning family-focused journeys to create shared experiences.
- Destination Check-in: Hotels are becoming destinations in their own right, with 29% of travellers choosing trips based on unique accommodation experiences.
Looking ahead, Skyscanner predicts that travel will become more curated and deliberate, with 84% of travellers expecting to go abroad as much—or more—in 2026 compared to 2025.
AI and social platforms are also expected to play a larger role in trip planning, from inspiration to in-the-moment support.
For more details, the full Travel Trends 2026 report is available here
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