Why Brits are travelling more, spending smarter and turning airports into part of the holiday

British travellers are rethinking how, when and why they travel. Instead of saving travel for one big summer blowout, Brits are weaving trips into their lives year-round. Weekend city breaks, hobby-led escapes, longer remote-work stays, spontaneous getaways booked the minute they land home.

In short, travel is becoming less of a luxury and more of a lifestyle. And interestingly, it’s not just destinations that are changing. The journey itself, especially the airport experience, is now part of the fun too.

Here’s how British travel habits are evolving in 2026, and what that means for frequent travellers.

For a growing number of people, holidays are moving up the priority list. In fact, more than a quarter of Brits now say travel is a higher priority than saving for a home, rising to 31% among 18-24 year olds. Instead of “we’ll travel if we have money left over”, it’s becoming “we’ll make travel happen and build everything else around it”. In fact, one in five Brits plan to make holidays their number one financial focus altogether.

But the interesting thing is this doesn’t mean everyone is suddenly splashing out on luxury trips. We're seeing travellers being more deliberate, spreading their budgets across multiple smaller breaks rather than putting everything into one annual holiday. It explains why it feels like everyone you know has either just come back from a trip or is just about to head off one one. For some, booking the next getaway has become a ritual the moment they get home.

Travel isn’t seasonal anymore. It’s continuous.

Flexibility is also changing how people plan their time abroad. Remote working and hybrid schedules have opened the door to trips that simply weren’t possible before. 24% extend work trips into leisure breaks or bring family along whereas 19% that worked remotely stayed abroad for weeks or months.

That blend of work and leisure, often called “bleisure”, means people aren’t just thinking about where they’re going. They’re thinking about how smoothly they can get there and how comfortable they’ll be along the way. And when you’re combining work and holidays, comfort and connectivity suddenly matter more. Reliable Wi-Fi, quiet spaces and smoother airport journeys become essential, not luxuries.

Travellers aren’t just spending more. They’re spending more intentionally.

Instead of defaulting to the same package holiday every year, more people are choosing trips that feel personal. That might mean a cycling weekend, a food-focused city break, a hiking adventure or a culture-led escape where you actually live like a local.

What people want more of

• Emerging or lesser-known destinations

• Hobby or activity-based travel

• Cultural immersion and local experiences

• Lower-carbon or alternative transport

Nearly a third now choose trips centred around hobbies or experiences, while 28% actively seek to “live like a local” over traditional sun-lounger holidays, with destination choices reflecting this mindset.

Instead of the same well-trodden routes, many travellers are choosing somewhere a little different.

Trending destinations include:

• Montenegro

• Albania

• Cape Verde

• Sri Lanka

• South Korea

These trips often mean longer routes and connections, which is helping drive another big behavioural shift.

Here’s something that might surprise you. For years, the airport was something to endure. Now we're seeing a lot of travellers viewing it differently.

39% of Brits now see the airport and layover as part of the holiday itself. Instead of rushing through terminals, people are choosing to make the most of the time.

• 13% sometimes book longer layovers on purpose

• 18% prefer the layover experience to the flight itself

And honestly? it makes sense. If you've got a couple of hours to kill, why not make it enjoyable? Major transit hubs like Dubai, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and Singapore Changi Airport are becoming mini destinations in their own right.

What travellers want at the airport

• Airport lounges with comfortable seating

• Reliable Wi-Fi and charging points

• Fast Track security to skip long queues

• Good food and drink

• A calmer, less crowded space

• The option to pre-book and plan ahead

For frequent travellers especially, lounge access and smoother security aren’t “nice to haves” anymore - it’s less about luxury and more about comfort and control. A lounge visit can turn a stressful layover into downtime. You eat properly, answer emails, recharge your phone, maybe even relax for a minute, making the whole trip feel smoother.

Once you’ve done it, it’s hard to go back to balancing a coffee on your suitcase by the gate.

As travel becomes more regular, people are also looking for better value. Instead of paying full walk-in prices for extras, many use travel benefits platforms like Dragonpass to access airport lounges, dining offers and Fast Track security at discounted member rates.

It’s a simple way to travel better without upgrading to premium tickets or paying high one-off fees each time. t’s a small change that can make a big difference, especially when you’re flying often.

It’s more frequent, more flexible and more personal. People are choosing experiences over checklists, discovery over routine and comfort over chaos. And maybe most telling of all, the holiday doesn’t start at the hotel anymore, but at the airport. With the right planning and the right tools, the journey can feel just as good as the destination. And honestly, that makes travelling more often feel a whole lot easier.