Traditionally considered a shoulder season, fall often brings with it cooler temperatures and fewer crowds — arguably a preferable scenario for travel.
Braving swarms of tourists during a sweltering August in Europe or Asia is for the birds. If clients aren’t beholden to typical school calendars and can escape during late September, October and November, there are deals to be had and more serene experiences to enjoy. Here’s what the numbers say, from where travelers are interested in heading this fall to how (and when) prospective travelers might save on airfare and hotel bookings.
Editor's Note: This story was last updated on Oct. 29, 2025.
Trends From Hilton
Trend 1: Hawaii, New York and Cancun Are Hot Thanksgiving Searches
The Thanksgiving holiday is coming right up, and search data from Hilton.com highlights where travelers might be going for their break. Based on website user searches for stays of four nights or longer across the holiday (between Nov. 26-30), the most searched-for destinations are Hawaii, New York City, Cancun, Orlando and Las Vegas.
Trend 2: The Dominican Republic, Seattle and Chicago Are Trending Up for Thanksgiving
By analyzing 90 days of website searches and noting what destinations saw the biggest leap in search volume for stays between Nov. 26-30, Hilton also determined top trending destinations for this year's Thanksgiving holiday. The Dominican Republic takes the top spot, followed by Seattle, Chicago, Costa Rica and Anaheim, California.
Trends From Kayak
Trend 1: Airline Prices Are Measurably Lower, Especially to Select European Destinations
According to online travel search engine Kayak, domestic airfare prices are 21% lower this fall than during peak summer. International airfare has dropped 33% this season, compared to summer.
Price drops on flights to Europe are especially significant. Kayak reports that airfare to Spain has sunk by nearly 47% since summer. Other measurable seasonal airfare price drops include those to Bologna, Italy (down 48%), and Helsinki, Finland (down 45%).
In the U.S., the biggest seasonal fare drops are on flights to Seattle (down 31%); Oakland, California (down 31%); Jackson, Wyoming (down 30%); and Hilo, Hawaii (down 29%).
Trend 2: There’s Money to Be Saved on Hotels and Rental Cars, Too
Kayak data shows that international hotel prices are down 10% since summer, and car rentals are 19% cheaper.
Trends From Airbnb
Trend 1: “Fall is the New Summer” for Gen Z Travelers
Airbnb searches by Gen Z users — sometimes called “Zoomers” — are up 26% this season. The oldest Gen Z travelers were born in 1997, so, at age 28, they likely have more flexibility in terms of when they take time off work. They are also taking longer international trips than their millennial counterparts.
Trend 2: Getting Off the Beaten (Beach) Path
Airbnb searches show that Naha, Japan; Ipojuca, Brazil; and Ericeira, Portugal, are emerging beach destinations this fall. Naha, which some call “Japan’s Hawaii,” is a metropolitan destination with beach access, not unlike Waikiki. Day trips to the nearby Kerama Islands allow for top-notch diving and snorkeling.
Trends From EF World Journeys
Trend 1: Cooler Temps Appeal to Many Travelers
Being sticky and sweaty on vacation isn’t much fun — according to a survey by guided tour operator EF Go Ahead Tours (an EF World Journeys brand that caters to adults 35 and older), 60% of travelers say that extreme heat limits how active they want to be outdoors. Cooler and less-crowded fall travel makes the season more attractive to 57% of travelers, according to EF Go Ahead data. “Coolcations” — or trips to places with cooler climates — a trend even in the summer, when countries such as Norway and Sweden boast more comfortable weather while some of their neighbors swelter.
Trends From Dollar Flight Club
Trend 1: Supply and Demand This Fall Are Bringing Flight Prices Down
According to flight alert subscription service Dollar Flight Club, airfare prices are coming down this season because there is plenty of airlift but fewer travelers, especially compared to summer. By shifting travel dates forward just a few weeks, travelers can save more than $200 on roundtrip air tickets. Dollar Flight Club data shows that flight costs to Bangkok are down 30% post-summer. Fares to Miami have dropped 60%.
Trend 2: Top Domestic Destinations for Fall
Dollar Flight Club has shared the top 10 U.S. destinations with double-digit cost drops since summer. For clients looking to save on last-minute getaways closer to home, top picks include Asheville, North Carolina (average roundtrip flight cost is $170); Miami ($178); Austin, Texas ($210); New Orleans ($220); and San Diego, California ($228). The service anticipates these lower costs to hold through October.
Trend 3: Leaf Peeping Is Popping
Searches for fall foliage-related trips were up earlier this year, according to Dollar Flight Club. If clients are hoping to go leaf peeping on a budget this fall, have them consider Asheville, North Carolina (average flight cost to Asheville is $170, down 10% over last year); Boston ($260 average flight cost, down 8%); Burlington, Vermont ($278 for flights, down 9%); New York ($290 flight cost, down 9%); or Stowe, Vermont ($298 flights, down 8%). These five cities offer the best mix of autumn scenery and low-cost access, with most flights under $300.
Data shows the best time to travel to these leafy destinations for a good deal is between Sept. 17 and Oct. 10.
Searches for trips to islands such as Portugal's Madeira are up, according to HomeToGo.
Credit: 2025 Funny Studio/stock.adobe.comTrends From HomeToGo
Trend 1: Fall Travelers Are Looking for Natural Beauty
Vacation rental marketplace HomeToGo has seen a 27% increase in searches, year over year, for fall getaways; destinations in the U.S. account for two-thirds of those searches, and many offer great fall foliage or other kinds of natural beauty.
Searches for Arizona’s Oro Valley, which is known for its mountainous desertscape, are up 779% compared to last year. Searches for the lake town of Evergreen, Colorado, are up 710% — and it’s another great place for leaf peeping. Also up a massive 423% are searches for Kanab, Utah; the destination offers easy access to red rock slot canyon adventures, sand caves and Zion National Park.
Trend 2: Island Retreats in Europe
American travelers heading abroad are researching island retreats more than last year. Searches for the Thai island of Ko Chang are up 446% year over year; searches for the Greek island of Crete are up the most at 560%; searches for the city of Funchal, on the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira, are up 528%; and searches for Alghero, Italy — a city on the island of Sardinia — are up 402%.
Trends From Google Flights
Trend 1: Mid-Size Cities for Thanksgiving
Based on Google Flights data, mid-size American cities are trending for Thanksgiving travel. The top five are Columbia, South Carolina; Bozeman, Montana; Spokane, Washington; Detroit, Michigan; and Omaha, Nebraska.
Trend 2: When to Buy Thanksgiving Flights for a Good Deal
Based on analysis of four years of Google Flights data, it appears that average prices for Thanksgiving trips tend to be lowest 35 days before departure. In 2024, that number was 45 days.
Trends From HotelPlanner
Trend 1: Quick Fall Escapes Are Trending Longer
According to numbers from hotel booking service HotelPlanner, single-night fall escapes were the thing in 2024. This fall, travelers are staying in their chosen destination for two or more nights. That increased demand is bringing prices up a bit; HotelPlanner reports that the average nightly rate for hotels in the 10 most-booked cities is up 42% year over year. On average, a hotel room costs $282 per night.
Trend 2: Hot Domestic Cities for Fall
For fall of 2025, HotelPlanner reports that the most-booked cities include Las Vegas, Chicago, New York, Miami, Nashville and New Orleans.
Trends From Wander
Trend 1: Friends of the Forest and the Sea
According to data from luxury vacation rental company Wander, many travelers booking Thanksgiving getaways are looking for forested destinations. Thirty-five percent of Wander bookings for the holiday are in secluded and forested spots such as Colorado, and that trend is closely followed by properties with ocean views (31% of Thanksgiving bookings).
Trends From Fora
Trend 1: Sights On Switzerland
Fora Travel booking data shows that many U.S. travelers are looking to travel abroad over the Thanksgiving holiday, and one of the international destinations with the largest jump in interest year over year is Switzerland. The country moved up on Fora's most-booked for fall list (now No. 10, after being No. 17 last year), with more than double the number of bookings made.
Trend 2: Luxury Cruising Is On the Rise
Fora cruise bookings have jumped from $8 million to $23.6 million, and brands leading those sales include Explora. The host agency also reports that clients are not only booking more luxury cruises, but they are also spending measurably more on them.
Trend 3: Italian Hotels to Watch
Fora's Italy bookings have hit $14.8 million dollars this year, and that's up significantly from $9.6 million in 2024. This fall (specifically September to December), Castelfalfi, Grand Hotel Tremezzo (on Lake Como) and Hotel Il Pellicano are among the host agency's most-booked Italian properties.
Trends From Bokun
Trend 1: Online Searches for Fall Foliage Are Way Up
This season, online booking management platform Bokun (a TripAdvisor company) is seeing usage of search terms such as "fall foliage tours" hit incredible highs. Foliage-related searches are up 93% over last year, and the U.S., Japan and the United Kingdom are the most in-demand destinations for leaf peeping in 2025.
Data from Tripadvisor's Seasonal Travel Index shows that 76% of travelers plan trips for specific seasonal experiences such as leaf peeping. Additionally, 39% of survey respondents named "nature sightseeing" as a priority for fall trips.
Search terms with the highest volume (related to U.S. leaf peeping) include "peak fall foliage 2025," "New England fall foliage 2025," "Vermont fall foliage 2025," "New Hampshire fall foliage" and "Maine fall foliage."
Trends From HotelPlanner
Trend 1: Urban Escapes are More Affordable This Season
Data from travel tech company HotelPlanner shows that U.S. city vacations are more affordable this season, and that the top three urban destinations are Las Vegas, New York and Chicago.
