The Great British Holiday Audit 2026

• The annual easyJet and easyJet Holidays travel trends report has unveiled the 15 new trends defining how Brits will holiday in 2026

• New research shows over half (52%) of Brits are planning to visit a new country this year, with the same planning to go on two or more holidays and a lucky 6% hoping to go on more than five.

• Cultural moments are driving a new wave of travel inspiration, from The White Lotus and the World Cup to once-in-a-lifetime solar eclipses

• Generational travel is evolving, from pre-schoolers to ‘home alone’ parents and Gen Z pilgrimages, while the padel phenomenon is driving a new type of sports break

• Almost half (49%) of holidaymakers will be harnessing technology for a ‘try before you fly’ approach to travel – using vlogs, VR headsets, or virtual street view wandering to plan their trip

• The Great British Holiday Audit 2026 from easyJet and easyJet Holidays features contributions from travel expert Nigel Thompson.

REPORT: HERE
Brits are seeking longer short haul flights, chasing the stars with astronomy tourism and using AI to ‘try before they fly’, according to a new report into how we will holiday in 2026.

The latest travel trend report from the largest UK airline easyJet and easyJet holidays surveyed 2000 British holidaymakers and has revealed what is shaping where British holidaymakers plan to go in 2026, with this year’s trends being driven by some of the biggest culture, sport and nature moments of the year, as well as generational differences.

Rather than choosing destinations by price and proximity alone, travellers are now planning trips around defining moments: watching a solar eclipse, following a historic pilgrimage route, travelling in the footsteps of a favourite TV show or novel, or flying to play or watch sport.

Longer short haul flights of five to six hours are becoming the new norm, unlocking destinations that blend adventure with value. Tunisia and its lesser-known island of Djerba continue to grow in popularity with the airline seeing 12% increase in flying to the country in 2026 while the Georgian capital of Tblisi is gaining traction for city breaks thanks to new direct routes from the UK. This year the airline is also seeing a 21% increase in flying to longer-leisure destinations like Morocco, Turkey and Cyprus compared to last year.

The new trends identified by the British public and renowned travel writer Nigel Thompson, who co-authored the report, point to holidays now being shaped more by what people care about, not just where they go.

Thompson says, “We’re seeing travellers plan around passions and purpose – whether that’s spirituality, culture, sport or nature. It looks like 2026 is about meaning as much as mobility, but value remains a key factor.”

Whilst 2025 was the year of astrology, 2026 is the year of astronomy. ‘Dark sky tourism’ is emerging as one of the most distinctive trends of the year, driven by Gen Z, TikTok and a growing interest in astronomy and astrophotography. The total solar eclipse on August 12 will be visible from parts of Spain, including Valencia, Palma Mallorca and Ibiza.

A spiritual revival is emerging through younger generations. ‘Gen-P’ travellers are embracing pilgrimage routes across Europe such as Santiago de Compostela and Lourdes, blending spirituality, culture and connection.

Cultural moments are also putting destinations on the map. The return of The White Lotus to Europe is expected to drive a new wave of screen-led travel around the south of France, while ‘Canon Country tourism’ will see travellers visiting destinations made famous through classic literature and its modern retellings - from Shakespeare’s Verona to Hemingway’s Pamplona. Over a quarter of us (28%) would pick our destination based on TV, books or film.

Sporting endeavors are informing our travel habits too. The 2026 World Cup taking place all the way across the Atlantic, sports fans will be looking to soak up the atmosphere closer to home to save both time and money, travelling to enjoy the games in local fan zones across Europe. Meanwhile, the padel phenomenon is driving new trend in sports holidays in European destinations like Spain where its popularity has outstripped tennis. One in 10 of us are now giving padel or pickleball a go while on holiday.

Travel is also being defined by differences in generations and life stages. Parents with pre-school children are taking advantage of flexibility and travelling more before term-time restrictions begin, while ‘Home Alone’ parents – whose adult children stay behind to house or pet-sit – are rediscovering freedom to travel again.

Many of us will be taking the opportunity to ‘try before you fly’, planning trips via vlogs and VR experiences of destinations before booking. Technology is also removing language barriers, giving travelers the confidence to explore new destinations. Nearly a quarter of Brits (22%) now embracing translation technology abroad and over half (52%) are planning to visit a new destination in 2026.

Kenton Jarvis, easyJet CEO said: “We’re always looking at ways our customers plan book and holiday and can already see some shifts in customer behaviour, like longer short-haul routes growing in popularity and technology playing a greater role both in making unfamiliar destinations feel accessible and helping us operate efficiently to keep fares low and journeys seamless.

“It is great to see more people exploring new destinations, using new technology in innovative ways and seeking out alternative experiences and I am proud of the part easyJet continues to play in helping to shape how each generation travels, while always aiming to make travel easy and accessible for all.”

“In 2026, there’s a clear desire to make holidays count,” Garry Wilson, CEO at easyJet Holidays, added. “We’re seeing customers become far more intentional about how and when they travel, whether that’s getting away before everyday routines take over, switching off from screens, or planning trips around meaningful moments you simply can’t recreate at home.

“From community organised trips to experience-led breaks, people are prioritising connection, wellbeing and memories that last, not just time away. At easyJet Holidays, we’re focused on supporting customers with flexible options and a wide choice of destinations, helping them plan holidays that fit around what matters most to them.”

The 15 Trends That Will Define How We Travel in 2026:

1. Longer short haul - Bringing destinations that blend distance with convenience into easy reach

2. Try before you fly – Utilising immersive technology like VR, or short-form video platforms to experience the destination first through someone else’s eyes

3. Translation Exploration – Embracing adventure and veering off the beaten track with the confidence of strong language translators including AI instant translate

4. Pre-School’s Out – Parents with younger children cram holidays in before term time constraints take their toll

5. Dark sky tourism – European dark sky spots to enjoy their day in the sun as Gen Zers travel to pursue newfound interests in astronomy and astrophotography

6. Take your pickle… or padel – Booking holiday destinations based on new sporting activities on offer, including pickleball, padel or paddleboarding.

7. Wardrobe wanderlust – selling clothes on sites such as Ebay, Vinted or Depop to put towards travel budgets, decluttering at the same time

8. The White Lotus effect – set to return to Europe in 2026, travellers will look to replicate the luxury seen on the silver screen

9. Canon country tourism – Visiting historic towns and landscapes rediscovered through classic literature or their modern retelling, from Shakespeare’s Verona to Hemingway’s Pamplona.

10. Sun - without - screen – Exploring inventive or classic ways to reduce screentime whilst on holiday, but prioritising an analogue way of life

11. Community influence – Taking the online travel community off-line by joining on group travel trips organised by travel content creators, experts in their own rights

12. Wealth of experience – Prioritising experiences within travel, culture and personal enrichment over assets

13. Home alone – Taking more holidays as a parent of adult children with a live-in house or pet-sitter (your adult children)

14. Gen-P – Exploring historic religious pilgrimages as a reason to travel, from Santiago de Compostela to Lourdes

15. Putting the world in cup – Using major tournaments like the 2026 World Cup as a reason to travel to teams’ home countries, watching iconic matches surrounded by local fans

About easyJet

easyJet is one of Europe’s largest airlines offering a unique and winning combination of the best route network connecting Europe’s primary airports with great value fares and friendly service. easyJet flies on more of Europe’s most popular routes than any other airline and carried more than 100 million passengers in 2024. The airline has over 340 aircraft flying on over 1000 routes to more than 160 airports across 35 countries. Over 300 million Europeans live within one hour’s drive of an easyJet airport.

easyJet aims to be a good corporate citizen, employing people on local contracts in nine countries across Europe in full compliance with national laws and recognising their trade unions. The airline supports several local charities and has a corporate partnership with UNICEF which has raised over £17m for the most vulnerable children since it was established in 2012.

In 2022, easyJet published its roadmap to net zero by 2050. The roadmap, which also features a combination of fleet renewal, operational efficiencies, airspace modernisation, Sustainable Aviation Fuel and carbon removal technology, has set an ambitious interim carbon emissions intensity reduction target of 35% by 2035, validated by the Science-based targets initiative (SBTi). The airline’s ultimate aim is to fully transition its fleet to zero carbon emission technology, which it will achieve through a number of strategic partnerships including with Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN Aerospace Solutions. Since 2000, the airline has successfully reduced its carbon emissions per passenger, per kilometre by one-third and is the number 1 ESG rated airline in Europe by Sustainalytics, MSCI and CDP.

Innovation is in easyJet’s DNA – since launching nearly 30 years ago, easyJet changed the way people fly to the present day where the airline leads the industry in digital and operational innovations to make travel easier and more affordable for its passengers.

In 2023 easyJet was named by TIME as one of the World’s Best Companies and a Leader in Diversity 2024 by The Financial Times.

About easyJet Holidays:

easyJet holidays, launched in 2019, is a leading package holiday provider operating from the UK, Switzerland, Germany, and France.

In 2025, it took over 3.1 million customers on holiday, offering great value beach and city breaks to more than 8,000 hotels across 100+ destinations in Europe and North Africa. Holidays can be booked via its website or 7,000+ travel agents. ATOL-protected packages start from a £60 deposit per person and include flights, accommodation, 23kg luggage, and transfers on beach breaks. easyJet holidays is ABTA member and offers Ultimate Flexibility with booking changes, a refund guarantee, and Best Price Guarantee.

easyJet holidays’ ‘Holiday Better’ strategy focuses on making more sustainable holidays mainstream, minimising tourism impacts, and embedding sustainability in its business. It partners with UN Tourism to develop an ESG framework for tourism, creating tools to measure industry impact on people, planet, and prosperity.

easyJet holidays was also named one of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work in 2023, 2024, and 2025.