Buckle up because we’re already rocketing towards the new year. When looking at what’s trending for travelers in 2024, a few highlights come to mind: international trips still pull all the punches (just see our top trending list), the tide is turning against basic economy, and if you want to travel on a budget – can’t go wrong with exploring the good ol’ US of A.
Here our 2024’s trend highlights:
- Asia is still kind of a big deal. All that pent-up demand from pandemic-era travel restrictions hasn’t worn off some 2 years after most of these countries have reopened. Expect to see Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Japan’s dynamic duo – Tokyo and Osaka – all over your #fyp next year.
- But Africa is going to be the next big thing. You heard it here first. Asia might be having its moment in the sun, but Africa is the region that’s seeing the biggest jump in KAYAK’s Top 100 Trending Destinations list. Currently sitting at #3 in trending regions, we predict Africa will continue to rise in popularity. Book your trip before the masses pick up on this trend.
- Eight months is the sweet spot. For booking international travel that is. If you’re planning to visit Africa, Asia, Europe, Central America or the South Pacific in 2024, our data suggests booking 8 months in advance to save an average of between 8 and 18%. What does that mean? If you’re looking to travel next summer, now is the time to start booking that trip.
- USA travel is budget travel. Domestic airfare will drop 16% in 2024 compared to 2023. That means it’ll cost $461 on average to fly in the states. Can’t say the same for international airfare which is up 10% year over year.
- Pour one out for the economy seat. The people have told us what they want and basic economy is not it. Premium economy and business class flight searches have seen a jump for 2024 travel. But please, just because you paid a little more, doesn’t mean you have the right to take your socks off, K? Thanks.
- Obscure deals are still great deals. Not interested in the trending or popular spots everyone else is going to? Some of the coolest destinations we’ve seen actually showed up in our deal destinations list like the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador (22% decrease in airfare YoY), Mendoza, Argentina (20% decrease in airfare YoY), Tromsø, Norway (17% decrease in airfare YoY) and Punta Arenas, Chile (16% decrease in airfare YoY).
- December is for the spenders. It may come as no surprise that traveling during December, when everyone’s zipping around for the holidays, is the most expensive time of the year to travel pretty much anywhere in the world (except Europe, which is most expensive in June). Do yourself a favor and avoid traveling in December as best you can, or convince your boss to let you work from grandma’s house for the holidays.
Already have a trip in mind? Find out the best time to go on – and book – your vacation with our Best Time to Travel tool.
Methodology: KAYAK considered flight, hotel and rental car searches between 3/16/2023 and 9/15/2023 for travel between 1/1/2024 and 12/31/2024 to identify 2024 travel trends and insights. For instances where year over year comparisons were needed, searches between 3/16/2022 and 9/15/2022 for travel between 1/1/2023 and 12/31/2023 were considered. Trending destinations and regions were identified by looking at destinations or regions with the greatest year over year increase in searches. Deal destinations were identified by finding those with the greatest year over year decrease in airfare. Best time to book data was found by using historical data to identify the cheapest day or range of days to book in the year prior. Changes in flight class interest were identified by looking at year over year searches by flight class. And the most expensive month to travel was identified by looking at average airfare for each month within the travel dates specified. All airfares are in USD, are on average and are subject to change. Flight searches considered were from a US origin for round-trip, economy itineraries except in the case of flight class data.
