Top 25 destinations to add to your travel bucket list in 2025, plus trends for flights, hotel stays and more
Sustainable experiences, pop-culture inspired travel and other predictions.
'Tis the season for trend analysis. As 2024 comes to a close, consumers are getting a glimpse into future predictions based on what's bubbled up this past year for everything from dining to travel.
From an increase in pop-culture-driven destinations -- like flying to another country for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour -- to emerging budget-friendly European destinations, there's plenty of wanderlust opportunity in 2025.
Hillary Reinsberg, the head of lifestyle, travel and dining editorial at Chase, told "Good Morning America" that much of what's on travelers' radars next year will be to find the opposite of some pain points that surged throughout 2024, like combating overtourism by opting for smaller-scale spots in off-season travel windows or taking into account destinations that have become more readily available.
"With sweltering temperatures and huge crowds in popular European destinations like Rome and Barcelona this past summer, one interesting trend is the growing interest in cities like Antwerp and Warsaw," Reinsberg said. "We've seen an increase in bookings to these cities, which offer interesting arts and culture scenes, with lower prices and smaller crowds."
She also said that based on consumer booking data, "the launch of new direct flights is making it easier than ever to get to previously tough-to-reach destinations."
"For the first time this summer, you will be able to fly direct from the U.S. to Greenland," she pointed out, adding that other "new flight routes like these are kicked off based on demand, so that's evidence that these are already trending destinations that will continue to rise in popularity."
Top travel trend predictions for 2025
Below is a snapshot of 2025 travel predictions based on highlights in habits like hotel stay preferences, new flight options, previously less-traveled destinations and more, according to new data released by Chase Travel.
New flights driving discovery: Thanks to improved transportation options, such as new nonstop flight routes to Marrakech and Greenland, along with an upgraded airport in Riviera Nayarit, Mexico, remote or previously hard-to-reach destinations are becoming more accessible to travelers in the year ahead.
Luxury hotel openings: High-end accommodations have continued to pop up in new and remote destinations -- including Six Senses, which recently made its Caribbean debut in Grenada -- drawing increased attention and accolades across the industry for esteemed awards including the Michelin Keys and World's 50 Best list.
Unique ways of getting around: New cruise hotspots, train travel explorations and lesser-known road trips are providing travelers a fresh perspective on exploration in 2025.
New side to old favorites: Get ready to swap out the Incan citadel of Machu Picchu high in the Andes Mountains for Peru's Colca Canyon. Or, skip Miami Beach in lieu of exploring Little River, South Carolina, and its highly buzzed-about culinary scene. For truly remote getaways, travelers will likely opt to venture to Greenland or Western Australia for a rugged outdoor adventure, according to Chase Travel.
Emerging European destinations on the rise: Consider spots like Antwerp, Belgium, or Warsaw, Poland, which are growing in popularity, especially for the more ample budget-friendly options. The average travel to Warsaw, with flights and accommodations, was approximately $500 cheaper on average than travel to Rome in 2024, according to Chase Travel.
Travelers chasing pop-culture trends: Popular TV series, movies, music and social media trends have prompted a pop-culture boom for destinations like Thailand and Seoul, South Korea -- both of which already show an increase in travel bookings in 2025.
Celebrating the great outdoors: Destinations such as Kenya and South Africa focusing on sustainability with eco-friendly lodges and conservation projects are also on the upswing. Few & Far Luvhondo, set to open in early 2025, is a biophilic experiential luxury abode with cliffside suites located within the Soutpansberg Mountains in northern South Africa -- part of UNESCO's Vhembe Biosphere Reserve -- built with a green mission in mind. The setting, which is one of the world's most biologically diverse regions in the world, will soon be open as a bucket-list-worthy destination complete with solar-powered experiences, farm-to-table authentic bush dinners and a Verra Registered Carbon Project that will help sequester over 100,000 tons of additional carbon from the atmosphere each year.
25 Trips to Take In 2025
Chase Travel shared its inaugural list of destinations, which are based on the leisure travel brand's booking trends and in-house expert insights, to drum up early international travel inspiration for 2025.
The list features global destinations from coastal Vietnam to mainland Greece, as well as rising domestic locales.
Antwerp, Belgium: Europe's design hub is less than an hour from Brussels by train and just 90 minutes from Bruges, making the location a solid launchpad for exploring. Plus, its vibrant art scene and trendy dining spots make for a robust offering upon arrival.
Athens Riviera, Greece: This seemingly long-kept secret of this coastal gem is out. With beaches, ancient ruins and a burgeoning hotel scene, Chase Travel data shows that the 35-mile stretch of coast known as the Athens Riviera is becoming the city's second center.
Bahia, Brazil: This cultural hotspot, a perfect low-key alternative to the bustling party scene of Rio, is brimming with Afro-Brazilian influences in its booming restaurant scene with distinctive fusion of pre-Columbian, Portuguese and African cuisines, plus stunning natural landscapes.
Big Sky, Montana: For domestic travel, this premier ski destination during winter has everything from expansive terrain to luxury accommodations that await travelers in 2025. With the Montana resort area in its final phase of a 10 year project, Big Sky is among the top ski destinations in North America.
Coastal Vietnam: Discover Vietnam's sparkling 2,000-mile-long shoreline, especially during the dry season from November to April, where travelers can discover powder-soft beaches and multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Check out the rest of the top 25 destinations that made the list here.
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