Nationwide report by airline easyJet and easyJet holidays reveals how Brits will travel in 2025
Brits plan to take an average of three holidays next year, spending an average £3051.90 on their main holiday and visiting two new countries, according to a new extensive report into how Brits will holiday in 2025.
Using AI to plan travel itineraries, ‘holiday hopping’ across multiple locations in one trip and ‘country ticking’ for globetrotting bragging rights are some of new emerging holiday trends identified in the research.
The new report, which is co-authored by a panel of travel experts, surveyed 2,000 British holidaymakers, and was compiled by the UK’s largest airline easyJet and package holiday company easyJet holidays and explores where Brits will be travelling, how they will be booking, and the types of holiday and experiences they are craving.
Data from the ‘Great British Holiday Audit’ shows that a third (35%) of holidaymakers are planning on spending more on a holiday this year, whilst 82% of Brits said exploring somewhere new was their number one holiday priority in 2025.
The core findings of ‘The Great British Holiday Audit’ reveal:
Where Brits will be travelling:
Montenegro, Cape Verde and Slovenia have emerged as some of the new alternative destinations that Brits will be travelling to this year, whilst 63% would be interested to swap a traditional European holiday destination for something further afield, like Egypt, Tunisia or Turkey due to the fantastic value they offer.
The most popular type of holiday booking is the classic beach break (61%). Around half of the nation (47%) will opt for at least one city break in 2025, whilst a further four in five (79%) will be pursuing a holiday that takes in the earth’s natural phenomena like the Midnight Sun in Norway during the Summer and the Northern Lights, or escapes centred in nature like walking in the Dolomites.
Travellers are planning as early as possible to take advantage of the best available deals, with 46% of Brits planning their trips up to 18 months in advance.
The new trends in how Brits will be travelling, identified by the panel of experts and the British public, point to ‘Low-Cost Luxe’, where travellers are swapping their 3-star Italy and Spain for 5-star resorts in Turkey and North Africa, spending the same money but holidaying in a little more luxury by targeting great value comparable destinations.
‘Country Ticking’ also emerged as a new trend, with the rise of apps like ‘been’ showing off all the countries you’ve been to. In 2025, holidaymakers are keen to score bragging rights on the number of countries they visit with most planning to visit at least two new countries next year. Over half (53%) of Gen Z and Millennials will always visit a new country when they go on holiday, compared with 17% of Boomers.
How Brits will be holidaying:
97% of those surveyed said that holidays are more important to them than ever, so it is no surprise that a third (33%) of Brits plan to take more holidays than in 2024, averaging three vacations in 2025, with the typical break lasting 12 days.
38% of family holidays will be planned by mum, a quarter (25%) by dad, and nearly three-quarters (72%) of Brits admit that their children’s wishes will shape their holiday plans and where they go.
Hotels (51%) were overwhelmingly named as the top accommodation choices for Brits, whilst nearly two-thirds (63%) would consider booking a budget friendly destination such as Turkey or Tunisia, so they can stay in a higher rated hotel.
When it comes to package deals, all-inclusive trips will be the choice for Brits, with booking data showing over half (56%) are going all in on a beach break. Four in five (81%) Brits would choose to stay in an all-inclusive hotel for a month in the winter if it was cheaper than staying at home.
‘Multi-Generational Holidays’ emerged as a key trend, with the family holiday lasting longer into life than ever before, as 97% parents want to continue to travel with kids after they’ve left. 30% of families are planning multi-generational holidays in 2025, with 80% of holidays tailored to appeal to all family members going away together.
A rise in ‘Holiday Hopping’ is predicted by experts, with nearly two thirds (62%) of Brits planning on taking this approach to holidaying. The trend sees people travelling in to one city and out of another, to see as much of an area or country as possible. For example, flying into Rome and out of Pisa to maximise sightseeing across Rome, Florence and Pisa, with a bit of Tuscany along the way.
Travel trends also point to ‘AI-tinerary Planning’, with 41% of Brits planning to harness AI to help plan their holiday itineraries, short cutting hours of research.
What Brits will be doing on holiday:
People’s passions will be fuelling Brits holiday choices, with over a third (38%) of those who partake in sporting pursuits choosing holidays where they can run, cycle, and hike. In fact, keen runners are heading to European cities such as Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin, to run in marathon-style events. This trend is particularly popular amongst younger holidaymakers, with two-thirds of Gen Z and millennials (65%) basing their holiday on sporting pursuits, and 73% of Gen Z are planning holidays around their hobbies.
Two-thirds (66%) of Brits would consider pursuing ‘Musical Missions’, following their favourite acts around the continent. Stars touring in 2025 include Bruce Springsteen, James Blunt, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, who will be looking to follow on from the Eras Tour that took European destinations by storm.
‘Jetflix and Chill’ is on the cards for over half of (55%) holidaymakers, which rises to four-fifths (81%) of Gen Z who are picking their experiences and destinations inspired by their favourite TV streaming shows. From Stanley Tucci exploring Italy, to true crime afficionados, holidaymakers are exploring the backdrops, locations and cultures of their favourite shows and documentaries.
‘Nostalgia Travelling’ – over half (51%) of Brits surveyed said they have revisited a childhood holiday destination as a holiday, and 73% would consider doing so in 2025.
easyJet CEO Kenton Jarvis said: “This year will mark 30 years since easyJet came onto the scene to democratise travel and since then we have seen many changes to the way people holiday.
“We are always responding to new trends to ensure we offer what our customers are looking for, with many of those uncovered in our new travel report also coming through in customer behaviour.
“And we’ve launched over 40 new routes from the UK to help customers discover new destinations with more flights further afield offering great value luxury.
“Ultimately, we know how much people value their holidays and it is clear that they are considered not just a priority but essential to so many”.
easyJet holidays CEO Garry Wilson said: “As one of the UK’s major holiday providers, it’s our mission to make it easy for customers to experience brilliant beach holidays and city breaks at unbeatable prices. We work hard to make sure we are offering the very best holidays and meeting our customers’ needs, whether they want to fly and flop, discover a new city, travel solo or with extended family, so we’re pleased to see the top 2025 trends, evidenced by our Great British Holiday Audit, mean we will continue to deliver for our customers in 2025 and beyond’.
The Top 15 Travel Trends that have emerged from the ‘easyJet and easyJet holidays Great British Holiday Audit’ are:
- Low-cost Luxe - travellers seeking luxury experiences at reduced costs by choosing great value destinations with 5* quality
- AI-tinerary Planning - using new AI tools to create highly personalised travel itineraries, and saving research time
- Country Ticking – inspired by the likes of apps like ‘been’, as well as general intrigue in exploring new destinations and countries, scoring bragging rights by clocking up new countries each year and more stamps in your passport.
- Holiday Hopping – travellers are maximizing their holidays by flying into one city and out of another to explore multiple destinations within a country or region
- Self-Care journeys - travelling for relaxation and escaping the everyday, to switch off and aid your mental health, whether that’s for hiking, forest bathing, spa retreats or just some peace
- Small City Seeker – Travelling to smaller cities to avoid the crowds and experience somewhere more unique than the usual big hitters. Destinations throughout Europe have a variety of smaller cities that still offer activities, culture and experiences in spades, i.e. Girona instead of Barcelona, or Rimini instead of Rome.
- Multi-generational Holidays - family trips are extending into adulthood, with grandparents joining the party too
- More Adventure Maxing – Maximising long-weekend travel (2–3-day trips) around Europe by using fewer days of annual leave to see more places
- Jetflix and Chill - TV and film is inspiring all sorts of travel, ranging from true crime fans, cooking and foodie shows, documentaries and mythology, for a thematic experience
- Nostalgia Travelling - tapping into the trend of nostalgia, holidaymakers are revisiting locations from childhood to recreate cherished memories and connect with their personal history
- Trailblazer Travel – choosing adventurous destinations that no one you know has been to that still provide stunning landscapes and friendly prices e.g. Georgia, Slovenia, and Montenegro
- Gourmet Getaways – being inspired to visit destinations based on viral food trends and unique culinary experiences.
- Acti-vacation – choosing holidays and locations to participate in sporting events, such as marathons or bike races across Europe
- Month-long Escapes - retirees and those with flexible schedules are increasingly opting for month-long stays abroad to escape unfavourable weather
- Musical Missions – planning a holiday around following a favourite music artist on tour or attending an international music festival, so you can combine music and a trip abroad for the same price