Skyscanner Report Reveals 2025’s Top Trending Travel Destinations, Traveler Behaviors

Leading travel search engine Skyscanner has just released its “Travel Trends 2025” report, a study conducted annually to gauge the latest industry trends being defined by the behavior and preferences of today’s travelers.    

With results based upon data from millions of searches, a commissioned survey of over 20,000 worldwide travelers and expert insights, this year’s report highlights seven specific trends. All of them showcase how travelers are increasingly using travel as a means of fostering a sense of community, seeking deeper connections through shared experiences—whether in nature, sports, art or beyond. 

As part of the study, Skyscanner also managed to identify next year’s top ten trending destinations and top ten best-value destinations.

According to Skyscanner, smaller, less mainstream destinations are seeing a significant increase in popularity among U.S. travelers. Whether they’re seeking relaxation, adventure or cultural immersion, Americans are moving away from the typical tourist hotspots and heading to locations that offer tranquility and immersion in nature. The overall takeaway was that getting out into nature is type of the escape Americans are seeking in 2025, whether it be through beach getaways, mountain hikes or stargazing under unpolluted skies.   

Top 10 Trending Destinations for U.S. Travelers

The most notable trending destinations based on the largest search increases in the past year include:

1. Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos: +528 percent search increase 
2. Quepos, Costa Rica: +462 percent search increase 
3. Tromsø, Norway: +129 percent search increase 
4. Tucumán Province, Argentina: +113 percent search increase 
5. Krabi, Thailand: +77 percent search increase 
6. Luang Prabang, Laos: +75 percent search increase 
7. Antwerp, Belgium: +70 percent search increase 
8. Suva, Fiji: +70 percent search increase 
9. Rotterdam, Netherlands: +61 percent search increase 
10. Pago Pago, American Samoa: +53 percent search increase 

Top 10 Best-Value Destinations for U.S. Travelers

In an era where economic concerns weigh heavily on travelers’ minds, cost is a significant factor in travel planning. Skyscanner's report highlights the top destinations where airfare prices have dropped the most, providing the best value for budget-conscious vacationers:

1. Nice, France: -27 percent price drop 
2. Castries, St. Lucia: -25 percent price drop 
3. Bridgetown, Barbados: -24 percent price drop 
4. Rabat, Morocco: -24 percent price drop 
5. Fargo, North Dakota: -24 percent price drop 
6. San Jose, California: -23 percent price drop 
7. Charlotte, North Carolina: -22 percent price drop 
8. Salt Lake City, Utah: -19 percent price drop 
9. Amsterdam, Netherlands: -19 percent price drop 
10. Barranquilla, Colombia: -19 percent price drop 

While things may be tough for most people these days financially, American travelers continue to prioritize vacations and allocate funds toward travel. In 2025, they are becoming more strategic in their travel planning, with cost being the primary consideration for most U.S. vacationers. The key expenses influencing their decisions are flight prices (51 percent), accommodation costs (50 percent), and the cost of food and beverages (34 percent).

Top Traveler Behavior Trends for 2025

The Skyscanner report identifies several major trends that reflect Americans’ changing travel preferences:

• Sport Mode: Passion for sports is fueling travel, particularly among younger travelers, who, are increasingly planning trips around their favorite sporting events. Forty percent of 25-to-34-year-old (and 29 percent of all American) travelers are planning either domestic or international getaways to witness a sporting event in 2025. “Behind-the-scenes” shows like Netflix’s Drive to Survive, Break Point and Full Swing are pushing new audiences toward destinations tied to their favorite sports, whether it’s attending a Formula 1 race or a tennis match.
• Astro Adventurers: A growing fascination with celestial phenomena and the sense it gives us of being a part of something greater than ourselves is also influencing traveler behavior. People are planning more trips around celestial events, with destinations like Tromsø seeing massive spikes in search traffic as travelers flock to witness natural wonders like the Northern Lights.
• Reset-Jetters: For 75 percent of American travelers, vacations are seen as a way to build resilience and better handle the stresses of daily life. They’re looking for experiences that help them live healthier and happier, whether that’s through wellness retreats or relaxing nature escapes.
• Art-Venture: Art tourism is gaining traction, with 24 percent of American travelers planning immersive art experiences in 2025. For 18–24-year-olds, this number shoots to 52 percent. Larger-than-life art installations enable participants to step inside the canvas and engage directly with artworks, playing around and sharing the experience with others.
• Cowboy Core: Forty-four percent of U.S. travelers are Cowboy Core aficionados. Society’s interest in the cowboy culture and aesthetic is growing, fueled by popular culture’s fascination with all things Western, from country music to the popular TV series Yellowstone. In fact, 29 percent of Americans say they want to go line dancing on their next vacation.
• Horticulture: In today’s world of artificial and virtual everything, people are looking for grounding, in-person experiences of extraordinary natural happenings. Once again turning to nature for inspiration, travelers are seeking out such floral phenomena as vibrant fall foliage (57 percent), tulip fields (45 percent) and cherry blossoms (25 percent).  
• Gami-Vacation: With 35% of U.S. travelers now inspired by their favorite video games, virtual worlds are crossing into reality as gamers plan trips to the places they’ve seen in the digital worlds they frequent.

Social Media, TV and Movies Inspiring Travel

Travel inspiration in 2025 is being heavily influenced by media, particularly social platforms, and popular films and TV shows. Skyscanner notes that almost half (49 percent) of U.S. travelers gain inspiration through word-of-mouth recommendations, while 41 percent turn to social media, and 31 percent look to online publications. 

Celebrities and shows like HBO’s The White Lotus have had a significant impact on travel trends, driving interest in destinations like Thailand as travelers look to recreate the picture-perfect moments they’ve seen on the big screen or their handheld screens. Idyllic locales like Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean have also seen a lift since being frequented by celebrities like the Kardashians, Biebers and Drake.

The Future of Travel 

2025 promises to be a transformative time for the travel industry, as the sector is influenced by technological advancements, including AI and dynamic pricing models. “We’re entering a new era of travel search,” said Piero Sierra, Chief Product Officer at Skyscanner. “Rapid developments in generative AI, travel retailing, and social shopping are changing how travelers find inspiration and compare flight, hotel, and car rental options. Travelers’ opportunities, challenges, and the need for information are evolving.”

Sustainability also remains a critical focus as new environmental regulations come into effect next year. With more travelers being eco-conscious and seeking to make a positive impact on the destinations they visit, there’s a noticeable shift towards less-frequented areas, helping to support local communities while reducing overtourism.

Overall, the future of travel looks promising, with American travelers remaining committed to prioritizing the role of travel in their lives. Despite current economic conditions, 29 percent of U.S. travelers plan to spend more on flights, and 24 percent intend to increase their accommodation budgets in 2025 than during the previous year. 

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