One travel company is calling 2026 the year of “one big trip,” as travelers prioritize quality over quantity.
“We’re looking to take the family to Costa Rica,” said traveler Trevor Dunaway, who told us he’s planning one big vacation supplemented by shorter visits to see family and friends.
The deal-tracking site Going reports people are planning fewer trips in the new year. The average number of domestic trips in 2025 was 3.23. In 2026, the average number drops to 3.11.
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For international travel, average trips fall from 2.02 to 1.86 trips per traveler.
“If they are taking one big trip, they're really being intentional about it and not just traveling just to travel,” said Going travel expert Katy Nastro.
WATCH: Travelers talk about the one big vacation they plan to take in 2026
Saving up for ‘one big trip’
That intentional approach has pushed more people to use price and flight alerts instead of continually refreshing search results.
“Even if you're not ready to, say, book that hotel, keeping pricing alerts on are really a great way to get notified without having to do all that searching week after week,” Nastro said.
To make those bucket-list trips worth the cost, Going recommends travelers book summer vacations by March for the best deals.
“Waiting is the worst thing you can do,” said frequent traveler Monae Scott. “The price is only going to go up, and then you'll end up with a horrible seat.”
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According to Going, you can potentially save hundreds by moving your vacation timeline by two to three weeks.
The cheapest summer travel dates to consider:
- May to early June
- Late August to September
More 2026 travel trends
For 2026, Going also found crowds to be a deterrent for a growing number of travelers.
Last year, Going found 41% of travelers chose a destination specifically because they thought it would have fewer crowds.
And while many people are turning to AI and social media as a source for travel inspiration, the number one resource is a bit old-fashioned.
“Family and friends are the number one resource that people go to first when they're starting their travel planning,” Nastro said.
If you’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip this year, start early, set alerts for flights and hotels and be flexible on dates, so you don’t waste your money.
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