Americans are back to booking boldly—and they’re choosy about value. Our latest consumer survey dives into 2025 travel trends and shows a market that’s motivated, research-heavy, and surprisingly open to influence. Below is a high-level look at what’s moving US travelers from “maybe” to “booked.” For exact percentages, channel rankings, and demographic splits, grab the full report with insights from the US, UK, and Australia.  

2025 US Travel Trends: How Americans Shop and Book Now

US travelers don’t impulse-buy a vacation from a single tab. They graze, compare, and crowdsource until the best option wins. Research typically spans 1–4 weeks—long enough for multiple touchpoints to matter, and for strong partners to shape the shortlist.  

• 57% of US travelers say Google Reviews is their most trusted review source. 
• Social content carries real weight, with 55% influenced by creators and social media. 

Translation: Your upper- and mid-funnel partners—review platforms, credible creators, and content publishers—are kingmakers during the “messy middle.” 

What Travel Booking Trends Actually Drive Decisions

“Cheap” isn’t the strategy. “Value” is—clear benefits, easy math, and instant gratification. When the offer is strong and the experience is seamless, Americans will hit “book” without overthinking.  

• Loyalty matters: travel booking trends show that travelers try to stick with their favorite airline and hotel brands when the price gap isn’t huge. 
• Two-thirds prefer to book hotel stays on brand sites, often to maximize points and perks. 
• Limited-time and reward-led offers outperform hand-wavy savings; make the upside obvious. 

Where They Convert (and Why It’s Not a Straight Line)

 Discovery often happens everywhere but your checkout page: People browse OTAs, metasearch, review sites, and creator content before converting—frequently directly with suppliers. The lesson isn’t to pick a single channel; it’s to orchestrate the journey. 

• Think “find me there, close me here”: use content and review partners to inform, then seal the deal with loyalty, cash-back, and card-linked offers. 
• Many US travelers book within a month of departure, so short-lead urgency and flexible policies can make or break the last mile. 
• Commissioning should reward each role in the path to purchase, not just the last click. 

 Spending Outlook: The Tailwind You Want

 The demand picture is encouraging. Americans aren’t planning to sit out 2025. They’re budgeting for trips—and they’re receptive when value is explicit and booking is frictionless. 

• A strong majority plan to sustain or increase travel spend next year. 
• Travelers are less fixated on the absolute lowest price and more on “best-for-me” value—especially when rewards stack.

Travel Trends That Smart Travel Marketers Follow

Turn this intent into revenue by aligning partners, offers, and UX around how Americans actually choose based on the real travel trends.  

• Double down on social proof. Pair trusted review platforms with creators who answer specific questions (not just inspire). 
• Make value painfully obvious. Lead with limited-time offers that stack with loyalty and cash-back—and surface them at every step. 
• Optimize for shorter windows. Keep promo calendars nimble so affiliates can refresh creative quickly in the final weeks. 
• Calibrate attribution to the funnel. Commission discovery, consideration, and conversion partners fairly to keep your ecosystem healthy. 
• Reduce friction at checkout. If the value is clear but the UX is clunky, you’ll lose the last-mile win.

Ready to go deeper? For a more in-depth look at current travel trends and how to capitalize on them, access our new Travel Affiliate Intelligence Report.