Travel Trends 2026
In partnership with Globetrender, the world’s leading travel trend forecasting agency, we are delighted to present our 2026 Travel Trends Report, to unveil why and how UK consumers are choosing to travel.
We’ve revealed the top destinations that have captured the attention of our customers for 2026 travel, as well as the “Rising Stars” that have grown significantly in popularity for the year ahead. We’ve analysed our own customer research, plus insights from a bespoke British Airways Holidays/YouGov Plc survey, and have consulted an array of industry experts, to identify the travel trends impacting consumer behaviour.
Our findings show that wellness culture is clearly continuing to impact the way we holiday, with three of our trends leaning into this overarching movement. Uninhibited Holidays sees UK travellers eager to shake off longstanding stereotypes and embrace body-positive experiences. Simultaneously, we predict a growing interest in cognitive health holidays, with Neurosurfing encouraging hotels to curate brain-wave-altering experiences designed to deliver profound relaxation. Then there are Chronocations, holidays that reject traditional time constraints, enabling travellers to switch off, ignore the clock and take their holiday seriously.
Moving beyond wellness, our report delves into trends that will all look to influence how we travel this coming year. These include Stream Parks, theme parks embracing new forms of cultural IP with attractions that go beyond rollercoasters, using advanced technologies to fully immerse travellers, The Valueverse, points redemption evolving from upgrades to enhanced experiences, and Vintage Junkets, travellers seeking serendipity and surprise through retro goods and experiences.
At a glance
31%
of UK adults said that body-positive experiences are more socially acceptable now than a decade ago, and 27% of 25–34-year-olds would consider taking part in at least one such experience in the next year.¹
28%
of UK adults are eager to step inside their favourite streaming show and/or video game¹
74%
of British Airways Holidays customers shop more often with brands when they are a member of their loyalty programme. This has increased 7% in the last 12 months²
Only 8%
of UK adults give themselves a lie-in when on holiday, fighting their instincts for the remainder of the year¹
Almost 1 in 5
UK travellers ignore the clock entirely on holiday, choosing to eat, sleep and explore whenever they choose¹
47%
of UK travellers agreed that vintage or retro experiences offer an authentic connection to a destination, rising to 63% among 18–24-year-olds¹
Trend One: Chronocations
Morning person or night owl? These aren’t just preferences; they’re examples of biological predispositions or “chronotypes”. But amid the vortex of social media, sedentary working habits and nine-to-five – not forgetting five-to-nine – schedules, living in alignment with that internal rhythm has never been harder. In 2026 that could all change, with Chronocations playing a fundamental role in the transition.
The 110th anniversary of daylight-saving time in 2026 will spark debate about our relationship with time, potentially boosting long-standing calls from health bodies and the European Parliament to end British Summer Time. Whatever happens, an awareness spike and a time-warp shift feel likely as UK travellers reconsider how they use their most precious resource and whether rigid routines still serve them. For around one in five UK travellers, time fades into the background on holiday, with 19% ignoring the clock entirely, choosing to eat, sleep and explore whenever they choose¹. The British Airways Holidays/YouGov survey additionally revealed that 8% of UK adults only allow themselves lie-ins when on holiday, while just 6% of UK travellers plan their time carefully and 7% stick to their same or similar routine as at home.
Prepare for croissants at dusk and DJs at dawn as Chronocationers rewind their clocks and those of holidaymakers and hotels everywhere – turning late checkout into a lifestyle.
22%
of UK adults love experiences at unusual hours and over half (55%) reported doing so when it’s special or unique to a destination.¹
Only 17%
of UK adults prefer sticking to their hours and routine for activities.¹
Almost 1 in 5
UK travellers ignore the clock entirely on holiday, choosing to eat, sleep and explore whenever they choose¹
Trend two: Uninhibited Holidays
Along with a dogged adherence to queues and famously reserved demeanour, many UK travellers have long approached holidays with a degree of self-consciousness, particularly when it comes to fully embracing their own bodies. Stepping away from everyday routines can bring a subtle anxiety around how to relax, how to feel at ease, and how to enjoy oneself without scrutiny. However, attitudes are beginning to shift. Experiences that foster body confidence, mindful movement and self-acceptance are on the rise, offering travellers the chance to unwind fully and enjoy their holiday free from the pressures of social media curated perfection.
Holidays are increasingly becoming a catalyst for body-positivity, with many finding it easier to embrace themselves while abroad. Survey data¹ shows that around one in eight UK adults feel more confident wearing minimal clothing when on holiday abroad than they do at home, and nearly one in ten say they feel just as comfortable wherever they are. This growing sense of ease suggests that time away from everyday pressures helps travellers reconnect with their bodies, relax, and enjoy the moment, a mindset that many are beginning to carry back into their day-to-day lives.
31%
of UK adults said that body-positive experiences are more socially acceptable now than a decade ago, and 27% of 25–34-year-olds would consider taking part in at least one such experience in the next year.¹
Trend three: Stream Parks
In 2026, the theme park world is going off script. Glittering portals to major franchises will keep their pull – Disney catapulting Star Wars fans to a galaxy far, far away; explorers traipsing through Jurassic Park at Universal Orlando Resort. But streaming platforms are also pressing play on Stream Parks: destinations using new technologies to bring digital worlds into vivid hyper-reality, tapping the 28% of UK adults eager to step inside a favourite film.¹
Netflix House, which opened in late 2025 in Philadelphia and Texas, transforms hits like Bridgerton, Stranger Things and WWE into immersive retail, dining and VR spaces, with a Las Vegas site planned for 2027. Chinese streaming platform iQIYI is expanding too, building on its Yangzhou Park with a second mixed-reality venue in Kaifeng. Meanwhile, Minecraft, – whose gameplay has drawn over 1.3 trillion YouTube views, – will debut new attractions in the UK and US from 2026.
For platforms like Netflix and iQIYI, such innovations enable immersive destinations that can be scaled globally – “downloadable” attractions reproduced without laying new tracks each time. As streaming giants captivate global audiences, these high-tech, replicable experiences put screen-born worlds at travellers’ fingertips. Stream Parks may be spun from pixels and code, but with over a third (35%) of UK adults expressing interest in rides or experiences themed around a favourite film or series¹, their pull is unmistakably real.¹
32%
of UK adults find mixed-reality experiences appealing, rising to almost half (49%) of 18–24s and 35-44s and 51% of those with children in the household.¹
35%
of UK adults expressing interest in rides or experiences themed around a favourite film or series.¹
Trend four: The Valueverse
The value-conscious traveller of 2026 won’t be told how or where to spend their points. Traditionalists may still enjoy the comforts of business class or suite upgrades, but younger flyers are redefining luxury on their own terms, redeeming points for experiences and products that reflect personal priorities – from the latest Apple AirPods (courtesy of Avios Shop) to tickets for Ariana Grande’s 2026 world tour.
Points, once confined to flights and hotel stays, now spill into The Valueverse – a loyalty ecosystem defined by flexibility and seamless value conversion across categories. According to the British Airways Holidays/YouGov Plc survey¹, 42% of respondents aged 25-34 say loyalty points influence their choice of travel brand. British Airways Holidays data also reveals that 82% of its customers think loyalty programmes are a great way for brands and businesses to reward their customers.²
With the cost of living still high, points have become a crucial tool for consumers unwilling to compromise on summer holidays. Despite tightening budgets, 29% of UK consumers continued to put money towards trips in Q3 2025, making them the most popular “big-ticket” expense.³
Consumers’ value sets have never been wider, nor loyalty programmes more diverse. The Valueverse signals a post-aspirational landscape where points flow fluidly through digital wallets, yet every flex remains resolutely personal.
74%
of British Airways Holidays customers shop more with brands when part of a loyalty programme, up 7% in the past year.²
47%
of British Airways Holidays customers said the current cost of living increases makes them more likely to take part in promotions and loyalty programmes. This has increased 6% in the last 12 months.²
82%
of British Airways Holidays customers think loyalty programmes are a great way for brands and businesses to reward their customers.²
42%
of UK adults aged 25-34 say loyalty points influence their choice of travel brand.¹
Trend five: Neurosurfing
As anyone who’s tried a strict digital detox or a fly-and-flop holiday knows, doing less doesn’t always produce the calm “alpha” brainwaves real rest requires. In 2026,rising interest in cognitive health will push wellness seekers toward Neurosurfing — hotel stays and itineraries designed to deliver high-impact relaxation through curated shifts in brainwave states rather than stillness.
According to the British Airways Holidays/YouGov¹ survey, 26% of UK adults say sleep deprivation affects their mental balance, more so than social media and digital content (16%), poor physical health or lack of exercise (14%), environmental stress (11%), emails or communication (9%) or generative AI platforms (3%).
For Neurosurfers, a simple massage won’t cut it. They want multisensory experiences that ripple across Beta, Alpha, Theta and Delta states. Functional music is key, Bjurstam says, as is breathwork. UK travellers are tuning in, with a notable share wanting to try art or craft classes (24%), breathwork (23%), time in nature (23%), sound baths (22%), flotation tanks (20%), cookery lessons (18%), cold plunges (12%), drumming classes (9%) and/or ecstatic dance (7%).¹ In 2026, many will seek respite far beyond the sun lounger.
54%
of UK adults agree that holidays are important for helping them manage or relieve stress.¹
26%
of UK adults advise sleep deprivation affects their mental balance.¹
Trend six: Vintage Junkets
Amid a sea of global blandness, travellers are seeking relics of the pre-algorithmic age, chasing retro experiences and pre-loved treasures. Often, it’s not nostalgia but anemoia; a longing for eras they never lived. These travellers aren’t looking for a chintzy pastiche, but a chance to step into something weird, wonderful and distinctly different.
In most major cities, visitors are funnelled to the same map pins and TikTok pop-ups. It’s no surprise 43% of UK travellers say authentic souvenirs that have a direct connection to the destination are harder to find, and 33% cite authenticity as being important to them when souvenir shopping.¹ Even characterful local markets are increasingly filled with imported goods. In response, travellers are treating vintage hunting as a cultural deep dive, using flea markets and retro districts to discover a place through its past. 47% of UK travellers agreed that vintage or retro experiences offer an authentic connection to a destination, rising to 63% among 18-24-year-olds¹.
62%
of British Airways Holidays customers like to know where their products were manufactured.²
69%
of British Airways Holidays customers prefer to shop at local businesses.²
Data sources
The insights and findings presented in this report draw on research and interviews conducted by travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender, on behalf of British Airways Holidays.
Where referenced, additional fieldwork was undertaken between 5-6 November 2025 by YouGov Plc, on behalf of British Airways Holidays. The total sample size was 2,104 adults. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Any accompanying data and references are show in the report’s sources and references.
¹ Figures are from YouGov Plc on behalf of British Airways Holidays. Total sample size was 2,104 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5-6 November 2025. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
² Customer research figures are from YouGov Profiles+ (Great Britain). Insights are based on respondents who self-reported having stayed with or used a British Airways Holidays travel service, either within the past 12 months or at any time previously. The dataset is continuously collected and refreshed weekly; figures reflect the latest update as of 23 October 2025.
³KPMG, autumn 2025 Consumer Pulse survey of 3,000 UK consumers.