The Trends That Will Dominate Travel By 2030

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 7:00 PM ET, Thu January 16, 2025

While many of us are still focused on the travel trends that will shape the coming 11 months (think coolcations and natural phenomenon trips) Kayak has its sights set on 2030.

Yes, you read that right. Kayak already has the pulse on what sorts of traveling we will be doing five years from now.

The the travel search engine partnered with The Future Laboratory to develop these insights (predictions), which it has just released in a new report titled “What the Future.”

And if you’re now wondering what the future looks like, you wouldn’t be alone.

According to Kayak and The Future Laboratory, 2030 will be dominated by such travel styles as city jumping, feedbooking, disloyalty programs, and more.

Intrigued? So were we. Here’s a closer look.

City Jumping

While 2025 is likely to be dominated by many slowcations, which see travelers slow down and spend more time in one destination to cut down on carbon emissions and travel more mindfully, that may no longer be the case in 2030.

According to the Kayak study “tomorrow’s globetrotters won’t commit to a single destination
— they’ll be planning stop after stop after stop. Because it’s cheaper and a chance for themed adventures."

The report adds that airlines and tourism boards are already hopping on this trend. “Take the latest routes crisscrossing the Caribbean or Thailand’s visa reforms easing travel around Southeast Asia,” the report explains. “By 2030, efforts like these will spike intraregional trips, potentially doubling them from 6.8 to 11.6 nights according to McKinsey."

The report also includes Kayak’s predicted top 10 multi-city routes:

Frankfurt-Singapore-Bali-Frankfurt
San José-Medellín-Cartagena-San José
Frankfurt-Bangkok-Phuket-Frankfurt
Paris -Ile Sainte-Marie-Mauritius-Paris
Bogotá-Mexico City-Cancún-Bogotá
Copenhagen-Bangkok-Phuket-Copenhagen
Vancouver-Tokyo-Hong Kong-Vancouver
Munich-Bangkok-Koh -Samui-Munich
Johannesburg-Bangkok-Phuket-Johannesburg
Los Angeles-Tokyo-Taipei City-Los Angeles

Woman doing yoga on the beach at sunset.

Vitamin T

How does the mantra live long and travel sound to you? Because come 2030 this will be even more of a focus among globetrotters, according to Kayak.

“Turns out the fountain of youth isn’t a fountain at all: it’s a flight,” says the report, alluding to recent research showing that travel may have anti-aging effects. Researchers from Edith Cowan University have found that travel can boost immunity and resilience. 

The take-away? Come 2030, world rankings may not be the only judge of trip-worthiness. Wellness scores will be just as (if not more) important, with travelers bucketlisting places based on their longevity benefits. (Anti-aging skincare won’t count. Sorry, France.)

Feedbooking

Social media’s influence on travel decisions, it seems, is here to stay.

About 62 percent of Gen Z currently gets their #travelinspo from social media feeds. And while today's social shopping experience is geared toward low cost items, it's only a matter of time before our apps become travel storefronts, says Dr. Matthias Keller, Kayak CPO.

Social media is shaping up to be a modern-day ticket counter. Before you know it, a single tap on you social feed will make the difference between binge-watching vloggers to snagging rooms at your favorite hotel.

In such a world, according to the Kayak report: “it would only make sense for influencers, brands and interfaces to shift from broadcasting trips to selling them. Before long likes will grow to be more than likes — they’ll shape our shopping lists, bringing our dream vacays one step closer to being booked. So you might want to practice making big purchases on your small screen, like now.”

 

Virtual Voyages

Calling all techie tourists. This one’s for you: Holographic concierges, 4D room tours and fully simulated trips inside a cloned Earth are just some of the reality-bending experiences that will be available in 2030, says Kayak.

And you won’t have to invest in any new gadgets or gizmos to cross dimensions.

“Our phones and VR sets have inched us towards virtual voyaging all along,” says the report. “It’s no wonder that 35% of travelers expect AR tours to become standard at hotels. The days of leaving one-star reviews after staying at dumps will soon be gone: you’ll be able to see and feel any ocean view right through your device.”

So what are some of the innovations tech-driven travelers can expect in five years? Kayak predicts the following:

Free Wi-Fi on every flight
Virtual room tours before arrival
Eco-friendly stays with vertical gardens
QR codes for checked baggage

LIT (low intensity travel)

Here’s a hopeful development: Kayak predicts tourism will be very mindful and very demure five years from now.

“If travel was a popularity contest, only 10 percent of the planet’s cities would be wearing the crown,” explains the report. “But they’ll have to get used to sharing the attention: travelers’ tastes for the unexplored are about to soar. Get ready for a wave of tourism that’ll actually be good for the world.”

Ethical exploring is already on the rise, as numerous reports have made clear in recent years. But the new Kayak research shows that 35 percent of jetsetters are willing to adventure more mindfully.

Airlines may be willing to help support for this trend by providing free domestic flights to lesser-known cities, says Kayak.

Spiritual Side-Quests

Tripping out will have a whole new meaning in 2030. From silent retreats to genealogical investigations, spiritual sidequests are about to have their moment, says Kayak.

“Travel and self-discovery have always gone hand in hand,” the report explains. “Today’s globetrotters often start new life chapters with a trip - sometimes with psychedelic help. From Mexico to the Netherlands, accommodations are embracing atypical offerings like ice baths, breathwork and even magic truffles.” 

Disloyalty Programs

This mantra for this 2030 trend seems to be: Money over miles.

“Think your love for your fave airline will stand the test of time? Think again. In the future, the only thing travelers will settle for is the best deal, even if that means jumping brands,” says the Kayak report.

The majority of travelers say price is the biggest factor in their plans, according to Kayak. Some jetsetters are even willing to be bumped from flights in exchange for vouchers for a future flight. And who knows how much more spontaneous travelers will become.

Meanwhile, to win you back, airlines will start playing games — literally. Using NFTs and competitor boards, the most minute interactions will earn travelers points regardless of whether they book flights.

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