Whenever, I get a press release from Google, I’m always interested since their search engine is one of the best tools for travelers to find flights. And a lot of people use it so their inside information means a lot. Well, the powerhouse search engine just released their summer trends which is giving consumers an early look at where travelers are planning to go in the coming months. I think you will find the results show a mix of familiar favorites and a few surprising destinations.
Top trending international destinations
Let’s first start with Google Flights newly released data for international travel… Several international cities are seeing significant year over year growth in searches for trips departing from U.S. airports between June 1 and August 31, 2026.
- St. Maarten
- Mexico City
- Stockholm
- Palma de Mallorca
- Budapest
- Tel Aviv
- Panama City
- Guangzhou
- Dubrovnik
- Santiago
The list highlights a wide mix of destinations. Beach hotspots like St. Maarten and Palma de Mallorca are seeing increased interest, while major cities such as Mexico City and Stockholm are also trending. I was in St. Maarten with my family for New Year’s and we loved it. And I just had friends who went to Stockholm for Easter and another couple went to Mexico City so the information seems to be accurate.
Top trending domestic destinations
On the domestic side, search data shows travelers are not just focusing on major gateway cities. Smaller and leisure focused destinations are seeing strong momentum heading into the summer travel season.
- Kansas City
- Sarasota
- Asheville
- Dallas–Fort Worth
- Fort Myers
- Panama City Beach
- Missoula
- Burbank
- San Diego
- San Francisco
California and Florida have multiple cities on the list which isn’t surprising and destinations like Asheville and Missoula point to continued interest in scenic and outdoor oriented trips which really blossomed after the pandemic. Though, I don’t think there’s any comparison between California and Florida — especially in the summer time. California in my book wins by a landslide.
According to Google: It is important to note that this data reflects search activity, not confirmed bookings. However, search trends are often an early indicator of demand, especially during peak travel periods like summer.
How about you? Where are you planning on going and I’m especially interested if it’s any of the destinations listed above.
