Cheaper flights, 'coolcations' and ChatGPT: 8 summer travel trends for 2024

Summer 2024 is shaping up to be a dynamic (and busy) travel season, and as always, we're seeing new approaches to how people vacation.

From pop culture influences to the welcome return of cheap flight deals, how we travel is changing and becoming smarter and more efficient than ever.

Whether you're a seasoned jet-setter or planning your first big trip this summer, here are the top summer travel trends for 2024 that you need to know.

The return of cheap flights

The last two summers have seen travelers wrestle with sky-high airfares, but we may have finally reached a turning point. At TPG, we've recently seen an influx of bargain cash and points fares to numerous international destinations from the United States.

Recent deals on our radar include business-class award redemptions to Europe from 50,000 miles as well as round-trip cash fares to Europe for less than $400 — and these offers don't appear to be mere one-offs. Alongside late summer offerings, we're also already seeing a steady slew of good early prices for fall and winter.

This is likely due to a mix of factors, perhaps one of which is an increase in consumer confidence following a gloomy few months as we reached what was hopefully the peak of the cost-of-living crisis. Additionally, the total number of seats available on flights has increased (compared to 2022, the number of open seats on domestic flights is up 14%, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium), and has potentially contributed to the frequency of deals.

Mix all of this with an abundance of high-profile global events happening this year, such as Taylor Swift touring across the world and the Paris Olympics, and it appears airlines have been spurred to compete with each other by slashing prices in a bid to get more bums on seats.

It remains to be seen whether the current boom of lower prices will last, but right now, things are looking optimistic.

A summer of sports

The summer of 2024 is packed with major sporting events — particularly in Europe — which will attract fans and travelers from around the globe.

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Most notably, the Summer Olympics will take place in Paris from July 26 to Aug. 11, followed by the Paralympics between Aug. 28 and Sept. 8 — some hotels are already sold out and booking fees are skyrocketing.

The UEFA Euro 2024 soccer tournament also kicked off last Friday in Germany. It will run for a whole month, and the final game will be held at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on July 14.

The summer will also see the Tour de France (which will start in Italy) from June 29 to July 21, the Wimbledon tennis tournament in London from July 1 to July 14 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup (a cricket tournament), which will be co-hosted by the United States and West Indies.

In addition to travelers buying plane tickets and booking hotels to see these events, this year's jam-packed sports schedule may be indirectly influencing how travelers choose their holidays, too. Airbnb reported a 122% increase in searches within its "Play" category, which reflects a growing interest in the company's offerings of active and playful stays this summer.

'Set-jetting' is more popular than ever

Streaming also continues to influence travel choices. According to the Unpack '24 survey by Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo, more than half of travelers are inspired to research or book a trip after seeing a destination featured in a show or movie.

This trend, known as set-jetting, has brought increased awareness of an array of global destinations. Popular vacation spots expected to be particularly busy this year include Thailand (which will be featured in the third season of "The White Lotus"), Romania (featured in the second season of "Wednesday"), Paris (thanks to "Emily in Paris") and South Korea (following the success of "Squid Game").

ChatGPT is working overtime

Artificial intelligence is now an integral part of travel planning, whether you are using it intentionally or if it's quietly powering search and planning tools in the background. A recent survey by Booking.com found that 48% of families are planning to use AI tools like ChatGPT to help organize their trips in 2024.

Though, in our experience, tools like ChatGPT are best used only as rough guides at this point, AI is continuing to affect the way we travel. Earlier this year, Expedia launched its own AI-driven travel tool, Romie, which is now available via Expedia's iOS app in the U.S. and can help create personalized itineraries, warn of trip disruptions and summarize group chats to organize your vacation.

Though we're still at the dawn of how AI will influence travel, this may be the year when AI travel planning will become the norm.

'Coolcations' are a thing now

2023 went down in history books as the hottest year on record, and 2024 could continue the trend of soaring annual temperatures.

According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, last May marked 12 consecutive months of record-breaking global temperatures. With rising summer temperatures comes the increased risks of wildfires (as we saw last year in places such as Greece and Hawaii) and flooding.

On a smaller scale, it is simply unpleasant and uncomfortable to travel when it's too hot. So, it comes as no surprise that Booking.com recently reported that 74% of families globally cite air conditioning as the most important amenity when booking accommodations. The travel industry as a whole has also seen a rise in "coolcations," where travelers prioritize destinations and stays that can offer a respite from the heat.

Popular coolcation destinations for 2024 include Copenhagen, Latvia, Finland, the Scottish Highlands, Estonia and the Azores. Travelers are also flocking to traditional summer destinations like Greece in cooler months, when the temperatures begin to dip.

Taylor Swift is revolutionizing 'gig-tripping'

In 2024, going to a concert or music festival is no longer just about buying a ticket and turning up at your nearest venue — it's about splashing the cash on flights and hotels and turning it into the pop music-tinged vacation your teenage self always dreamed about.

For example, Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" is crossing Europe this summer with key stops in the U.K., Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Poland, prompting a rush of ticket sales and hotel bookings at every stop. Many destinations on the tour saw hotels fully booked as early as last December. That said, many Americans realized that it could be more economical to fly to Europe to catch the tour than to pay the going rate for resold tickets in the U.S.

If you're planning a European trip this summer, it's worth checking in advance to ensure that Taylor isn't passing through during your travel dates. But if she is, you could plan to catch her show at a relative bargain.

Hotels still reign supreme

It might seem like all you ever hear on TikTok and Instagram is influencers shouting from the hills about their latest Airbnb find, but in 2024, hotel accommodations still reign supreme when it comes to bookings.

According to Statista Market Insights, hotel bookings have dominated vacation rentals in the share of revenue in 2024, taking 55.6% of the share in the United States alone — vacation rentals, on the other hand, accounted for just 10%, the rest is split between camping, cruises and other types of package vacations. It's a similar picture across Europe and in the U.K., where hotels encompass 53.6% of revenue and vacation rentals 11.7%. The highest hotel market share appeared in Japan, at a whopping 62.3% (hotels) versus 11.9% (vacation rentals).

This is likely due to a variety of factors, including service reliability — hotels are generally much more consistent than vacation rentals. Then, there's been a regular stream of crackdowns on vacation rentals across the globe. Cities have tightened up handing out new property licenses in destinations such as Austria, Rome, Hawaii and even Palm Springs, California; the latter has capped the number of days a short-term property can be rented out at 26 days.

The results are in: Offering reliable service, diverse amenities and prime locations, hotels remain a staple for both leisure and business travel.

Sustainable travel takes center stage

Sustainability is more than a buzzword — it's a movement. Travelers are increasingly seeking eco-friendly destinations and accommodations that prioritize environmental conservation.

According to Booking.com, 53% of travelers are looking for accommodations that blend comfort with innovative sustainability features.

Additionally, slow travel and train travel are gaining popularity as eco-conscious choices. You may remember that locomotive travel featured highly in our 2024 destinations list. And thanks to innovations in high-speed rail, it's now more possible than ever to cross entire countries by train for less effort than it would take to board a plane.

But it's not all about speed. We're also seeing increased interest in high-end train experiences such as Belmond's Eastern & Oriental Express and the opulent La Dolce Vita train by Orient Express, which cater to a more relaxed, refined and, of course, sustainable way of travel.

Bottom line

Summer 2024 is set to be an exciting time to be a traveler, and current trends reflect a wide range of preferences, interests, budgets and lifestyles.

This year, keep an eye out for AI-powered travel planning, a growing interest in sustainability, the return of summer flight deals and a stunning roster of great global events. No matter where you go this year, summer 2024 is set to be a hot one.

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