It’s shaping up to be another big year for travel. Among U.S. travelers, 85% plan to take the same number or more trips abroad as they did in 2023, according to Skyscanner’s Travel Trends 2024 Report.
Skyscanner also found that people are leaning into specific types of travel. Three particular travel types are trending for 2024. Figuring out which type you are can be fun, plus it can help you decide what to prioritize for your travels this year.
1. Analog adventurers
Analog adventurers are old-school travelers who want an opportunity to switch off from modern life. They’re not interested in posting pics to Instagram while they travel — they’re going on vacation to disconnect from social media, work, and the world back at home.
One of the signs of this travel trend is how many young adults are swapping out their smartphones for more traditional ways of remembering their vacations. Among Americans between 18 and 24 years old:
- 31% bring a camcorder with them on vacation
- 31% bring a digital camera
- 31% bring a 35-millimeter film camera and develop their photos when they get home
For those who want to disconnect from it all, staying in a more secluded location is a good choice. Think cabin in the woods instead of a high-rise hotel suite.
Keep in mind that wherever you are, you’re going to be in control of how much you disconnect. There’s wifi practically everywhere now. So if you want a break from it all, take time off from work and resist the urge to check your email every morning.
2. Celebration vacationers
Celebration vacationers travel to commemorate major life events. And they do it together, with 79% of U.S. travelers having taken a group trip to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Another 12% say they’d love to do it in the future.
If you’re hoping to take a trip with friends or family and aren’t sure where to go, here are the top destinations for group trips in 2024:
As fun as they are, group trips are notoriously difficult to coordinate. Everyone needs to agree on the destination, the dates, and the cost. More than 4 in 10 U.S. travelers said that those issues put them off on arranging a group trip. Here are a few ways to make it easier:
- Set up a group chat so everyone can discuss the details together.
- Poll everyone on travel dates that will and won’t work for them.
- Vote on where to travel and when.
- Look for affordable destinations if anyone is on a tight budget.
3. Luxe-for-less seekers
With this travel type, the name provides a pretty accurate description. Luxe-for-less seekers want to have luxurious travel experiences, but they also want to get a good deal in the process. This will likely be one of the major travel trends in 2024, based on a couple of recent data points about U.S. travelers:
- 38% have plans to upgrade their flight to either business class or first class this year
- 39% plan to buy airport lounge access
Luxury and affordability don’t have to be mutually exclusive. It takes a little more work, but you can book upscale travel experiences without a huge hit to your finances. Here are a few tips for saving money on things like business-class airfare and five-star hotel stays:
- Use travel credit cards for all your regular spending. These credit cards earn points that you can put toward travel expenses. I’ve used credit card points to cover the cost of $3,000 business-class airfare and $5,000 hotel stays, so they can be extremely valuable.
- Be open about where you travel. If you’re flexible, try an “everywhere” search where you plug in your departure airport and see destinations with the lowest flight prices.
- Travel to an area during its offseason. It can be just as fun to visit Europe in the spring, fall, or even the winter, to give you one example. There will also be far fewer tourists, and you could spend half as much on your flight and hotel.
Whether your travel plans are disconnecting, celebrating with your friends, or experiencing luxury for less, you’re not alone. These are all major travel trends for 2024. Once you’ve decided on your travel goals for the year, you can figure out how to make them happen.
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