Priceline's 2026 travel trends report: 7 themes
Key points
- Priceline's 2026 travel trends report highlights seven themes.
- Travelers plan 15 leisure days and budgets up by about $350.
- Spontaneous 'little treat' trips and Midwest road trips rise.
- Nostalgia returns, college towns surge, kids influence picks.
- Beaches go adventure-first, and anti-workcations gain steam.
Impact
- Who Is Affected
- U.S. leisure travelers, families with Gen Alpha, sports fans, and beachgoers.
- What Changed
- Priceline's data and survey point to seven 2026 travel trends and top emerging destinations.
- Where
- U.S. Midwest, college towns, adventure beaches, and next-level picks like Düsseldorf and Rio Grande, PR.
- What To Do
- Plan shorter, spontaneous trips, consider Midwest and college-town weekends, and budget for a bit more spend.
Priceline has released its 2026 Where to Next? Travel Trends Report, combining booking patterns with a nationally representative survey to flag seven themes shaping the year ahead. Travelers expect to spend about 15 days on leisure trips in 2026 and plan to boost their budgets by roughly $350. Priceline's read points to more spontaneity, regional exploration, and traveler-directed planning, with AI tools factoring into how people choose, book, and adjust trips. For travelers, the nut graf is simple: these trends suggest shorter, more frequent getaways, fresh destination lists, and a tilt toward fun over work.
Priceline's 2026 travel trends report
Priceline's report blends platform search and booking data with a survey of 3,006 U.S. adults fielded August 18 through September 5, 2025. It frames 2026 as the year of "more," citing more trips, more destinations, and more doing. The company also spotlights ten "next-level" places on the rise, from Düsseldorf and Antwerp to Rio Grande in Puerto Rico and Greenville in South Carolina.
Latest developments
The report identifies seven trends. Little treat travel captures quick, indulgent "just because" trips, often booked at the last minute. Midwest quests point to stronger interest in the heartland for its authenticity and affordability. Déjà view reflects a return to childhood favorites, from theme parks to classic beach towns. Expedition beach recasts the beach break as an active, adventure-first escape. Tailgate tourism elevates college towns into weekend destinations built around game day. Kidfluence shows Gen Alpha steering family choices. Off the clock and off the grid signals a rejection of workations in favor of true digital detox.
Analysis
For trip planning, these themes reward flexibility and shorter booking windows. If you want value, watch fare and rate drops to fuel "me-kends," then anchor plans with refundable rates. College-town weekends will tighten inventory near stadiums, so book early for ranked matchups and look just beyond campus for better prices. Adventure-first beaches and unplugged retreats point to new shoulder-season plays; pack activity gear, and verify connectivity expectations if you truly want to disconnect. Nostalgia-driven returns can pair well with loyalty redemptions where you know the footprint. For destination brainstorming, see our recent take on safety signals in 2026, including Europe's leaders in traveler confidence, in Safest travel destinations 2026: Netherlands leads.
Final thoughts
Priceline's 2026 travel trends report suggests that the year favors agile planners who embrace short, high-impact escapes and new spins on familiar places. Expect spontaneous weekends, Midwest road trips, kid-approved itineraries, spirited college-town breaks, and beaches that trade lounging for adventure, with a real push to unplug. If budgets are rising a bit, the payoff is trips that feel personal, purposeful, and fun.