‘Glowmads’ and ‘Shelf Discovery’ among 2026 travel trends

Skyscanner reveals they’re shaped by passions and priorities

In 2026, travellers are curating trips that feel more in tune with who they are and what they love, according to Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2026 report.

The insights reveal the seven key trends which will define travellers’ behaviour in the coming year and outlining the big trends shaping the future of travel.

With the cost of living still top of mind, trips in 2026 are being built with purpose. They’re shaped around passions, priorities and a personal sense of ‘worth it’. 

Bryan Batista, CEO Skyscanner said: “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 renowned brands including Reddit, Malin and Goetz, All Trails and Penguin Books to identify the seven trends shaping travel in 2026.  

The seven trends shaping travel in 2026:

Glowmads
01. The Beauty Trend 

According to the data, 27% of UK travellers want to experience local beauty culture and 21% say that they're influenced by TikTok and social media[1].

In 2026, skincare and beauty routines will move beyond social feeds and into real-world travel behaviours. From inflight skincare routines to visits to iconic local beauty retailers to buy cult products, beauty becomes part of the itinerary. 

While Seoul continues to grow as a global symbol of beauty culture, this trend is less about where to go, and more about how beauty shapes the way people travel.

Shelf Discovery
02. The Food Trend

Insights show that 43% have explored local supermarkets abroad[2].

To “eat like a local” now means heading to the snack aisle. From Tokyo vending machines and 7-Eleven Slurpees to Iceland’s geothermal baked bread, gastro-tourism is changing. 

How people travel for food is now part cultural deep dive, part budget hack, offering a unique glimpse into local life that’s affordable and authentic. 

Altitude Shift
03. The Mountain Trend

From snow to stillness, travellers are chasing year-round alpine escapes with 71% of travellers are considering or planning a mountain escape for summer or autumn 2026[3]

In 2026, travellers will be heading for higher ground - literally. Travellers are heading to higher ground – not just for the ski slopes, but for serenity too. From the Dolomites to Annapurna to the Canadian Rockies, alpine escapes worldwide are luring people year-round for off-peak peace. 

Skyscanner has seen an increase of 103% globally YoY of hotel bookings using our “Room with a mountain view” filter.[4]

Bookbound
04. The Literature Trend

Writing new chapters on how to escape, reconnect and restore. Almost half of travellers have booked, or would consider, a trip inspired by literature[5]. 

Whether it’s tracing the footsteps of fictional heroes, planning a slow holiday around a reading retreat or chasing the world’s most beautiful bookshops and libraries, people are choosing travel and literature to escape, reconnect and restore. 

This trend is translating onto how people are searching for hotel bookings, with the use of Skyscanner’s “library” filter up 70% globally YoY.[6]

Catching Flights & Feelings
05. The Solo Trend

Meeting matches, mates and maybes on the move with more than a third (39%) of travellers have gone, or considered going, overseas specifically to meet new people e.g. for friendship or dating[7]. 

As dating habits shift and “catch-up friends” become a thing, more travellers are swapping swipes for real-world sparks – from meeting matches in faraway cities to dating overseas to finding a travel buddy on the road. 

The trend is highest amongst Gen Z and Boomers and hotel bookings using the “solo” filter has jumped 83% globally YoY.[8]

Family Miles
06. The Family Trend

Multi-gen trips and family memory making are on the rise, the data showing that 16% have travelled with their family, including multi-generational journeys[9]

Multi-generational travel is on the rise – not just to share costs, but to reclaim time together and create long-lasting memories between parents, kids and grandparents.  

With budget a factor and many 20-somethings living at home, families – especially younger generations – are getting creative about how and where they travel. 

Destination Check-in
07. The Hotel Trend

Hotels are the main event, shaping where and why we travel, with 27% have stayed in accommodation that’s part of the travel experience or destination itself[10]

More than ever, travellers are choosing where to go based on where they want to stay. Hotels are no longer a place to just bed down – they're the destination itself. From stunning architecture to transportive design to the overall vibe, travellers are prioritising unique stays.  

And as younger travellers (and their social feeds) fuel the dupe obsession, unusual accommodation is redefining what it means to “travel the world” without the long-haul flight.