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How will Americans travel in 2026? According to new analysis from claim compensation experts AirAdvisor, the year ahead won’t be about big, bucket list splurges or extended itineraries. It will be about trips that deliver in the face of limited time, rising airfares and all-too-frequent endless delays. U.S. travelers will be adjusting their expectations, choosing destinations and styles of travel that can absorb disruption without ruining the experience. The biggest trend emerging from this shift, according to AirAdvisor, is what they call "Domestic Europe."
Rather than flying across the Atlantic, travelers are looking for places closer to home that offer the perks and pleasures they associate with European destinations: walkability, slower days, strong food cultures and a vibe that lets you have a good time without a packed itinerary.
These Euro-like destinations include small cities like Santa Fe, where art, history and long, culturally-inspired meals are the focus. Savannah and Charleston, with their compact historic districts, unique architecture and European style café culture offer the opportunity to simply wander and discover without worrying about driving or public transportation. Santa Barbara and Carmel boast coastal scenery, wine, renowned restaurants and a rhythm that's pure vacation. Even New England’s coastal towns are seeing renewed interest for their charming village centers, seafood shacks and easy day-to-day pacing (not to mention actual resemblance to European towns).
From a practical standpoint, these trips also come with fewer flight headaches. Shorter flights, fewer connections and no international rebooking drama mean travelers have more control when facing delays. As AirAdvisor founder Anton Radchenko puts it, 2026 travel "won’t be about pretending delays won’t happen."
That more realistic approach is a factor in AirAdvisor’s other predicted trends. One trend is the rise of nostalgia getaways. Rather than jetting off to the trendiest new destinations, many Americans are returning to familiar places from past family vacations, like beach towns, lake communities and national parks. Going back to a beloved vacation spot means you already know where to stay and what to do, especially if delays or weather alter plans.
Another shift is toward shorter trips, taken more often. Long weekends built around federal holidays are replacing longer, higher-stakes vacations that use up PTO. The catch is that shorter trips leave less room for error. A single delayed flight can take up half the trip. That’s why travelers are making these quick escapes to closer destinations via secondary airports, choosing itineraries that are easier to manage if something goes wrong.
Travelers have come to expect a myriad of delays and hassles, especially in the U.S. AirAdvisor’s 2025 data ranks U.S. airports among the most delay-prone globally. Travelers are planning accordingly for 2026, sticking to familiar over flashy, walkable over sprawling and memories over perfection.