Winter travel in 2025 is increasingly shaped by financial pressure, with many travelers tightening their budgets and prioritizing value over extravagance. Amid these shifts, a Globe Aware volunteer vacation offers a meaningful alternative-combining purpose-driven impact with affordable travel.

By Rebecca Speier
Nov 25, 2025
TravelAge West

Whether clients are reuniting with loved ones, chasing warm weather or embracing the snowfall this winter, the holiday season is bustling.

To help advisors stay ahead of the curve during this busy time, we have compiled a roundup of observed trends from industry experts. Here’s what they say is driving travel during the holiday season.

Trends From Kayak

Trend 1: Travel Costs Are Trending Downward

According to online travel search engine Kayak, airfare prices are beginning to drop, with a 7% price decrease on international flights and a 1% decrease on domestic flights compared to the 2024 holiday period. Fortunately for travelers, savings don’t stop at flights, either. Rental car prices dropped 6% this holiday season, making domestic road trips more accessible.

Trend 2: Seasonal Hot Spots to Know

Travelers aren’t necessarily looking to escape the cold this winter. Eastern Europe is having a moment, with both Poland (73%) and Prague (65%) seeing an incredible increase in searches. Other hotspots include Saint Lucia (64%), Ecuador (55%), and Grenada (40%).

Trends From HotelPlanner

Trend 1: Las Vegas and New York Take Top Spots

This year, HotelPlanner reports a striking similarity between Thanksgiving and Christmas searches — the same two destinations are at the top of travelers’ lists for both holidays, according to booking data. Las Vegas ranks first for Christmas, earning about 55% of bookings compared to Chicago, Boston and San Francisco. New York steals the second spot with 35% of bookings.

Trend 2: Look to Chicago for Hotel Deals

If travelers are looking for an urban escape on a budget this season, hotel rates in Chicago have dropped 55%. With rates in New York and Las Vegas climbing 25% and 55%, Chicago stands out as an affordable option for travelers.

Trends From Dollar Flight Club

Trend 1: Flight Deals to Know, From Cancun to Italy and Orlando

According to the Dollar Flight Club’s annual holiday travel report, wintertime flight prices have fallen to their lowest levels since 2022. The report analyzed about 250 high-volume holiday routes across 80 airports and found lower medians across the country.

If families are flying from the east coast to Orlando, for example, flights are as low as $38 roundtrip. For a tropical vacation, Cancun remains a top option, with flights from Texas averaging 29% lower than normal. Even a European getaway is within reach this winter; roundtrip flights from Chicago to Italy are under $500.

Additionally, travelers will find low-cost, roundtrip routes from Florida to Mexico. Orlando is emerging as the frontrunner for the most affordable domestic fares. Next up are Tampa, Florida; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas; and Miami.

For international escapes, travelers can find exceptional deals to Mexico City; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Vancouver. Rates go for as low as $101 roundtrip. For departure flights, Boston and Houston stand out, with flights down 35-40% compared to previous years.

Trend 2: When to Book the Flight

For the best savings, Dollar Flight Club advises booking Christmas and New Year flights weeks in advance. Specifically, the flight alert service suggests booking domestic flights anywhere from three to seven weeks out. International flights are best booked roughly six to 12 weeks out.

Trends From Google Flights

Trend 1: Warmer-Weather Hot Spots

Based on Google Flights data, many travelers are interested in swapping a white Christmas for a warmer-weather holiday. The trending international destinations with the highest year-after-year searches are Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Saint Lucia; Marrakech, Morocco; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Curacao.

Trend 2: Book 51 Days Out to Save

Based on an updated four-year analysis of Google Flights data, the lowest price for a Christmas or New Year’s trip tends to be about 51 days before the date of departure. The analysis also confirms that the cheapest days to travel tend to be at the beginning of each week, typically from Monday to Wednesday.

The 2025 Deloitte Holiday Travel Survey is based on 3,896 responses fielded between Sept. 26 and Oct. 3. The respondents who are planning to travel between Thanksgiving and mid-January qualified as holiday travelers. Key trends among these 2,099 holiday travelers are listed below.

Trend 1: Tighter Budgets and Financial Pressure

About 54% of respondents intend to travel this holiday season, which is about a 5-point increase from 2024. However, these travelers want to stay frugal and are spending 18% less year over year while planning fewer trips. About 31% of travelers indicated that they are in a worse financial state this season, compared to 26% a year ago. About 47% of travelers are planning to fly this season, which is about an 8% drop from last year. Instead of flying, 29% of travelers are planning to drive to their destination to save money.

Trend 2: Travel Among Younger Generations Is Rising

For the first time, younger travelers, specifically Gen Z and millennials, are expected to make up about half of the traveling public this season. Millennials will spend the most of any generation, averaging $2,602. Gen Z travelers, on the other hand, are planning to reduce their budgets by about 31% year over year.

Trend 3: AI Usage Skyrockets

Generative AI use among survey respondents when planning holiday travel details is increasing exponentially. Among respondents, GenAI assistance in planning travel is expected to hit about 24% this holiday season, which is an 8% increase compared to 2024. When seeking help from AI, respondents plan to use it for research activities and attractions (67%), followed by picking the best destination (56%) and finding specific accommodations (54%).

Trends From Classic Vacations

Trend 1: Shorter Booking Windows

Holidays are busy and can be overwhelming. This season, Classic Vacations is seeing the continuation of a trend where travelers are finalizing plans about 30 to 60 days before they depart — highlighting that flexibility remains a top priority.

Trend 2: Wellness is a Priority

Demand for wellness travel is on the rise among Classic travelers, and clients are looking for a chance to recharge during their vacation. Whether it is through a pampering spa treatment or connecting with nature, Classic reports that prioritizing wellness is important for clients this season.

Trend 3: Festive Escapes

European holiday ambiance shines through as one of the primary influences on travel this winter season. Classic reports big numbers for cities such as Paris, Rome and London, favored destinations for holiday markets, festive decorations and a timeless charm. The Italian Alps are also surging in popularity among the operator’s clients, as destinations including Cortina d’Ampezzo, Val Gardena and Madonna di Campiglio offer affordability and close proximity to the 2026 Winter Olympics.

If Europe is too far a stretch this season, advisors can pivot to U.S. mountain regions, which are also pacing ahead among Classic’s bookings. The festivities and apres-ski in Aspen, Colorado, or Jackson Hole, Wyoming, offer a glorious winter charm.

Trends from Nomad eSim

Trend 1: More Than Half of Americans Will Travel This Winter

According to a new survey from Nomad eSim — which polled more than 1,000 U.S. adults across the nation — 54% of Americans are planning to travel this winter. That said, economic challenges are leading some travelers to make changes to their plans; 33% of millennials (the hardest-hit generation) are scaling back trips and 17% are canceling entirely, while 36% of Gen Z are scaling back and 18% are canceling. Older generations are more resilient, with 61% of Boomers and 71% of the Silent Generation reporting their plans are unchanged.

Trend 2: Millennials Are Driving Winter Travel

About 54% of millennial respondents are planning domestic trips this season, while 22% will head abroad. Gen Z isn’t far behind, with 44% traveling domestically and 19% taking international trips. Older Americans are more likely to stay home, including 68% of Boomers and 64% of the Silent Generation.

Trend 3: Remote Work

Travelers are blending their work and holiday travel, with 56% of travelers planning to work while away. Millennials are leading this trend, as 52% of respondents will work remotely during their trips.

Trend 4: Family Visits and Warm Weather Dominate Bookings

Nomad found that 44% of winter travelers plan to visit family and friends this winter, making it the top travel motivation for the season. Another 44% of respondents are opting for warm-weather escapes, especially millennials (54%).

Trend 5: International Hot Spots

Among those going abroad this season, Europe is attracting 11% of travelers while 10% are heading to Mexico and the Caribbean and 6% to Southeast Asia.

Trends from Point.me

Booking engine Point.me recently released its 2025 Holiday Travel Forecast, a survey of more than 1,000 members to see how holiday travel is shaping up this season.

Trend 1: Christmas Is the Top Holiday for Travel

Seventy-three percent of respondents will travel for at least one holiday this season, with Christmas emerging as the biggest travel period (37%). For those traveling this Christmas, 51% are driven by leisure and 48% are driven by family, with 66% returning to a familiar destination. Despite financial uncertainty, only 10-16% of travelers are citing cost as a reason for staying home this season (across all the holidays).

Trend 2: New Year’s Travelers Are Taking International Vacations

While only 20% of respondents say they plan to travel for New Year’s, 81% of those who are hitting the road are doing so for a leisure vacation and 18% will visit family. New Year’s travelers are also more likely to be taking an international trip (57%) than those traveling for Christmas (45%). Seventy-three percent will revisit a previous destination.

Trend 3: The Top Christmas and New Year’s Travel Destinations

For both Christmas and New Year’s, the top four international destination searches include London, Paris, Tokyo and Bangkok. Top domestic destinations for both holidays include New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Trends from Google

Trend 1: Travel Interest Is High, Though Concerns Over Disruptions Remain

According to a recent Google Trends report, searches for “holiday flights” have hit a five-year high. “Air travel news” is another trending search, as travelers try to navigate flight changes and cancellations. To ease some of the pressure this season, the use of AI travel planners has surged to an all-time high.

Trends From Priceline

Trend 1: Pricing Patterns Are Mixed

Priceline’s 2025 holiday travel snapshot found that holiday pricing is proving unpredictable this winter. Domestic airfare is up slightly around Christmas (+2%) and jumps notably for New Year’s (+9%). However, international pricing is uneven across the season: Airfare dips during the Christmas period (-7%) before climbing again for New Year’s (+8%). Across the board, hotel costs are seeing steady and significant growth throughout the holiday season.

Trend 2: Smaller Cities Offer Big Savings

Travelers are turning to smaller, often overlooked destinations this season. Priceline’s report saw demand for travel to “second cities” — providing travelers with an affordable option to skip out on pricier metros.

Trend 3: Christmas Destinations to Watch

Hotel search data shows increased interest in Christmas travel to Rome (+73%) and Paris (+40%). Flight searches, meanwhile, are dominated by warm-weather locales including Cancun, Mexico; San Jose, Costa Rica; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.