Amadeus published with the agency Globetrender its Travel Trends 2026. According to the company, these trends should shape the travel of tomorrow.
Six major trends are taking shape, heralding the changes that will shape travel in the years ahead. For business travellers, the most important is the irresistible rise of long-haul flights in single-aisle aircraft such as the Airbus A321XLR...
1- The world at your fingertips
Aeronautical innovation continues to bring the world closer together by reducing transit times. In 2026, a new generation of long-haul single-aisle aircraft, led by the Airbus A321XLR, will take off. Several airlines have already announced their plans: IndiGo will launch the first non-stop service between India and Athens in January 2026, while Delta Airlines is preparing to link Boston and Nice.
2- Mixologist travellers: the alchemists of travel
3- A la carte holidays
4- Journeys into the future
Chrome-plated robots carry luggage to the train, tickets are bought by simply scanning the palm of your hand, tunnels are lit up with holograms and 3D-printed dinners are delivered by drone to nearby parks. These futuristic experiments are no longer the stuff of science fiction, and are already beginning to take shape in some cities.
Flight searches for Shenzhen for the first half of 2026 show an increase of 48 %, testifying to the growing attraction of this world capital of innovation. Meanwhile, autonomous vehicle specialist Waymo announced last October that it would be deploying its fleet of robot taxis in London from 2026.
Wearable devices promise to open up new horizons. In 2026, Jony Ive, Apple's famous designer, will present the first hardware device developed by OpenAI. AI-powered instant translation headphones already exist, but inter-species translation, mooted by scientists at the Coller Foundation in the UK, could revolutionise safaris.
In terms of leisure or bleisure travel, Amadeus notes :
5- Pop tourism
6- "Toutourisme" takes off
Driven by new technologies, regulations and innovations, pet travel is experiencing strong growth. It is part of a wider movement, as the global pet industry could reach 500 billion dollars by 2030, according to the Bloomberg news agency.
In France, at Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport, dog areas are now available in certain terminals to allow dogs to relax before or after their flight. And in 2026, SkyePets will launch long-haul transpacific flights allowing animals to be carried in the cabin between Australia and the United States.
