Domestic trips are winning over international escapes
Americans are staying closer to home , and the numbers back it up in a big way. International travel is still making up the majority of late-summer searches, but domestic demand is up more than 34% year over year, with Washington D.C., Las Vegas, New York, Denver, Boston and Seattle seeing the largest gains in search volume. Meanwhile, international searches have declined 17.4%.
The shift shows up in national spending data too. Domestic travel accounts for 87% of total U.S. travel spending and, at $1.20 trillion, has returned to 2019 inflation-adjusted levels. Expedia’s research points the same direction, finding that 63% of U.S. travelers are planning a domestic trip this summer. A big part of the draw is nature itself, since searches for California and Florida beaches are up 50%, while other outdoor attractions such as lakes, mountains and national parks are trending 65% higher than last year.
Milestone trips are reshaping how people use vacation time
Birthdays, weddings, graduations, and anniversaries have quietly become one of the biggest drivers of travel planning . According to American Express, 80% of global respondents are planning to take the same or more international trips in 2026 compared to last year, and a striking share of that travel is tied to someone else’s big moment. Two-thirds of global respondents plan to take a trip to celebrate a milestone for other people in 2026, and 82% of those taking a milestone trip are planning to build in buffer days surrounding the main celebration, with 72% planning to extend their stay by at least three to four days.
The reasoning behind those extra days is refreshingly simple. Among respondents extending a milestone trip, the top reasons include spending more quality time with family and friends, exploring a new destination, and experiencing the location how they want. It’s a pattern that turns a single event, like a cousin’s wedding or a friend’s fortieth birthday, into a full week of exploration rather than a quick in-and-out visit.
Artificial intelligence is quietly becoming a travel agent
AI tools have moved from novelty to habit for a meaningful chunk of travelers . Criteo’s research found that 40% of travelers use AI to explore destinations and 41% use it to plan activities, making it a key entry point in the travel journey. That involvement doesn’t stop at inspiration, either, since nearly 30% of travelers now use AI for full trip planning, signaling growing confidence in AI to support end-to-end travel decisions.
Higher earners are leaning into the tool especially hard. Deloitte’s research on high-income millennials found that connecting with this group increasingly requires a strong gen AI strategy, as 43% say they use it in their trip planning. For an industry that has spent years trying to personalize the booking experience, AI is starting to do some of that heavy lifting automatically, suggesting itineraries before a traveler has even settled on a destination.
Cruising is having what the industry calls a golden era
Cruise lines are seeing booking numbers that outpace even the strong years right after pandemic recovery. Data compiled by TravelAge West shows a 31% jump in first-time cruiser bookings and a 22% year-over-year increase in overall cruise bookings for 2026. Travel Weekly has gone so far as to describe this as a “golden era,” noting that booking curves now extend well into 2026 and even 2027.
What’s changed is who’s actually on board. The Cruise Collective’s 2026 predictions highlight that the average cruiser’s age has dropped into the mid-40s, with well over a third now under 40. Cruise lines have responded accordingly, rolling out shorter city-break-by-ship itineraries, trendier onboard amenities, and more themed voyages. There’s even a new micro-vacation format gaining traction, with MSC Cruises pointing to the rise of indulgent 3 to 4 night “Me-Kend” cruises, marketed as quick wellness getaways.
Travel with a purpose, not just a destination
Hilton’s research points to something the company has branded the “whycation,” a mode of travel where the motivation comes before the map. As we look ahead to 2026, the meaning behind each journey matters more than ever, with people traveling with purpose, whether that’s to reconnect, recharge, rediscover or just take a breath, a shift Hilton calls a global movement rooted in intentionality where travel begins not with a destination, but with a motivation.
That intentionality shows up in very different ways depending on the traveler. Families are traveling in new formations, discovering how to play and grow together, road trippers are rediscovering the joy of intimate, close-to-home adventures with the people and pets who matter most, and even business travelers who value in-person connection are admitting they want a few minutes of alone time away from the group. Skyscanner’s data tells a similar story from a different angle, describing travel as becoming less about escaping real life and more about bringing your whole self along for the journey.
The World Cup is redrawing the North American travel map
With the United States, Canada, and Mexico co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, search interest in host cities has spiked dramatically ahead of kickoff. Expedia found that travelers are showing increased interest in North American host cities across June and July, with searches up significantly for Kansas City at +700%, Philadelphia at +210%, Monterrey in Mexico at +210%, and Atlanta at +200%, among many more host destinations.
Not every part of the picture is rosy, though. One early industry study found that inbound travel to U.S. host cities has been slow, with U.S. hotels raising rates by about 55% year-on-year while occupancy for World Cup dates remains in single digits because fans are waiting on ticket allocations and schedules. Even so, the tournament’s overall pull is expected to be significant, with estimates suggesting the tournament could still attract about 5 million visitors across North America. Some of that demand may end up spilling over the border, since visa requirements, along with steep expenses, may push some fans to book hotels in Canada or Mexico instead.
Rising costs are reshaping how far travelers are willing to stretch
Money worries haven’t stopped people from traveling , but they have changed the shape of the trip. Deloitte’s summer survey found that 32% of non-travelers say trips are too expensive and 35% say they simply can’t afford to travel. Among those who are still going, forty-five percent of Americans plan to take a summer vacation with a stay in paid accommodations, the lowest figure in six years, according to Deloitte.
The financial pressure isn’t distributed evenly across income brackets, either. A majority, 51%, of Americans with income of less than $100,000 say travel spend is one of the first things they cut back on when expenses rise, while about a third of respondents earning between $100,000 and $199,000 say the same, and about a quarter of those earning $200,000 and above. Priceline’s research adds some nuance to that picture, finding that while 44% of Americans feel that summer trips feel financially out of reach right now, most are still prioritizing travel, with 73% saying a summer vacation is too important to skip and only 21% planning to stay home entirely.
Food, culture, and hands-on experiences top the wish list
Sightseeing alone doesn’t cut it anymore for a lot of travelers, especially younger ones. American Express found that whether it’s a tortilla-making class in Mexico City or a fragrance workshop in Paris, 79% of Millennials and Gen Z surveyed say they’re likely to seek out local workshops or activities specific to the destination they’re visiting in 2026. The appeal goes beyond the moment itself, since 76% of global respondents believe the skills they gain on a trip remain with them longer than any material souvenir.
Food has become its own kind of itinerary item, often driven by what shows up on a screen before a plate. More than 75% of Millennials and Gen Z surveyed say they’re likely to seek out a food item that’s gone viral during a trip. There’s also a growing appetite for the unplanned moment, with 87% of global respondents saying they like to leave room in their itinerary for unexpected local discoveries.
Road trips are back in a big way
With flight prices climbing and America’s 250th anniversary celebrations rolling through the country , plenty of travelers have decided the car is the simplest answer. Hilton’s research found that the anniversary is driving a surge in road trips this summer, with 71% of Americans planning to drive to their next vacation. Regional and lesser-known spots are picking up unexpected attention as a result, with hilton.com search data showing travelers favoring outdoor escapes and regional favorites, including Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma City, Madison in Wisconsin, and Mobile in Alabama, all seeing the biggest increases in search.
One historic highway is getting an unusual amount of attention too. Expedia noted that for road trips in particular, social mentions of Route 66 are up 302% as the highway approaches its 100th anniversary. It’s a reminder that milestones don’t only belong to individual travelers; entire routes and roads can have their own anniversary moment that pulls people back onto the pavement.
The takeaway for anyone planning a trip
