Viral culture is quietly rewriting the economics of travel, Going's 2026 report finds

Intentional travel and trend-driven influence set the tone for the year ahead

NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Going's 2026 State of Travel and Flight Deals Report reveals a travel landscape entering a new era, one where travelers are becoming more selective and the places they go are increasingly shaped by virality. After a surprisingly steady 2025 marked by predominantly cheap airfare and months of softened TSA volumes, underlying dynamics began to shift. Mistake fares surged to record levels, summer prices looked shockingly affordable (even at the last minute), airlines funneled resources into premium cabins, and travelers reevaluated what actually makes a "good trip."

That has set the stage for 2026: a year where strategic planning can save travelers more than 40% on airfare even as other prices rise, premium flyers enter a golden age, and travel as a whole moves out of overdrive and into refocus mode. And beneath it all, one force is quietly becoming more prevalent: the trendification of travel. Viral destinations fueled by social media, pop culture, and the algorithms that drive them are now powerful enough to influence where airlines add capacity, how prices shift, and where millions of travelers decide to go next.

Trendification: How viral travel demand is reshaping the skies

"Social media used to be a muse for future travels. Now inspiration becomes reality in one click," said Going travel expert Katy Nastro. "When a destination starts trending, flights become more plentiful, and ultimately cheaper, but what begins as accessible often turns expensive on the ground, as travelers and locals alike face rising prices for lodging, dining, and experiences amid growing crowds."

In 2026, travel discovery will be driven by social interactions online and in-person. Friends and family rose to the #1 influence on where travelers go, outpacing affordability. Social media shapes decisions for 25% of travelers, and nearly half of Gen Z. Even AI is entering the mix, guiding 6% of travelers to their 2026 destinations. Trendification democratizes access to aspirational places, but it also concentrates demand. The smartest travelers in 2026 will know the trend, but won't be ruled by it.

The "one big trip" era: Fewer trips, higher stakes

Despite the rise of viral destinations, travel overall is settling into a steadier rhythm. With 39% of travelers taking the trips they expected in 2025, the frenzy has cooled, and a new pattern is emerging: the "one big trip." International plans have slipped below two trips per traveler for the first time since 2023, signaling a shift toward fewer but more meaningful journeys.

And while frequency slows, concerns grow. Political and safety concerns, previously cited by just 1.9% of travelers, jump to an anticipated 15.2% for 2026, becoming one of the top barriers shaping travel decisions.

Gen Z: Traveling more, spending smarter, influenced by their feeds

Gen Z is the clear outlier in Going's findings. Nearly half (48%) took more trips than planned in 2025 despite tighter budgets, busier schedules, and rising safety concerns. Looking ahead to 2026, 23% plan to spend less on travel, yet they intend to travel farther and more often than the average traveler. Their interest stretches well beyond traditional hotspots, with significantly higher demand for Asia, South America, Central America, Australia/New Zealand, and the Middle East. Their trips skew cultural, immersive, and experience-first.

Premium travel booms as points quietly lose value

Even though most travelers aren't planning more trips next year, many intend to spend more on the ones they take, and comfort is where that money is going. In 2026, travelers' top splurges will be better accommodations (71%), premium cabin seating (59%), and upgraded destination experiences (52%). Premium economy is the fastest-growing cabin choice, rising from 16% to 20%, while budget airline usage has fallen from 50% to 44%.

Legacy carriers continue to go deeper into the premium ecosystem, investing in new long-haul routes, upgraded seats, elevated onboard service and lounge expansion. But as premium travel booms, points are quietly losing value. Air France–KLM's Flying Blue, Singapore Airlines' KrisFlyer, British Airways' Avios and other programs raised award prices by 5–20% in 2025, and dynamic pricing plus shrinking "saver" space mean travelers are getting less for the same number of miles. And unlike cash fares, the best points availability often appears when schedules open or in the final weeks before departure.

"Points don't age like fine wine, they melt like an ice cube," said Nastro. "There is no time like the present to burn those hard-earned miles, especially if you want to experience the premium boom without paying premium prices.

Where to go in 2026 for cheap flight lovers

Despite the volatility, one truth remains: airfare is still in a golden age. Adjusted for inflation, June 2025 was the second-cheapest month for airfare ever recorded. And without major shocks, 2026 is poised to be just as fruitful when it comes to flight deals.

Going's Where to Go in 2026 list highlights the destinations that will be genuinely easier and cheaper to reach next year due to meaningful structural shifts in the skies: new routes, expanded long-haul service, competitive low-cost lift, airport upgrades, and evolving visa policies. Read the full list here: https://www.going.com/guides/where-to-go.

About Going

Going, the travel app for discovering flight deals, has helped members around the world make their travel dreams come true since 2015. We combine sophisticated software and human Flight Experts to discover flight deals and mistake fares up to 90% off and send them to our 2 million members. Unlike fully automated fare alerts services, every deal alert we send to members has passed a rigorous quality evaluation by our team to ensure it's worth members' hard-earned money and limited travel time.

This report draws on survey responses from 7,008 Going members, offering insights into traveler attitudes, behaviors, and planning patterns. Quantitative findings are supported by proprietary flight deal and search data collected from January 1, 2025, to November 20, 2025, unless otherwise specified. Where relevant, external industry benchmarks and secondary research sources were incorporated to contextualize trendlines and compare traveler sentiment against broader market indicators.

Read the full 2026 State of Travel and Flight Deals: Here

Read the full Where to go in 2026: Here

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SOURCE Going