Europeans are traveling in record numbers, and paying record prices to do it. 82% of Europeans plan to travel between April and September 2026 — the highest share since 2020 — while US airfares rose 26.5% in the year to June 2026 and overall US travel costs are up 10% versus last summer. In the Netherlands, the travel trade association ANVR estimates this summer's package holidays cost 7–12% more than in 2025, and the government's flight ticket tax rose again on 1 January 2026.
Where Europe Is Going in 2026
Share of Europeans naming each country their top 2026 summer destination. Southern and Mediterranean Europe together attract nearly 60% of travelers.
The Price Gap Between EU Countries
Eurostat's harmonized package-holiday price index, year-on-year change by country — the widest official EU price data available. EU average: +2.5%.
The Dutch Squeeze
Two separate cost increases are landing on Dutch travelers at the same time this year.
+7–12%
Package Holidays
ANVR's estimate for summer 2026 package holiday cost versus 2025, driven by higher fuel and energy costs — especially to Spain, Italy and Greece.
€30.25
Flight Ticket Tax
The Dutch government's per-passenger flight tax (vliegbelasting), up from €29.40 on 1 January 2026 — a 2.9% rise, applied even to tickets bought before the increase.
One in Three Dutch People Are Staying Home in 2026
Higher prices are not just changing where the Dutch travel this year — for a growing share, they are cancelling the 2026 summer holiday entirely.
Skipping Summer Holiday
1 in 3
Dutch people who say rising prices led them to cancel a 2026 summer holiday altogether.
Going on Holiday
52%
of the Dutch went on summer holiday in 2026, down from 57% in 2025 — the second straight annual decline.
Traveling Less Often
21%
travel less often or not at all because of rising prices — rising to 25% among under-35s.
Source: ANWB Vakantiemonitor, published 4 July 2026.
MarktEffect survey, 509 Dutch respondents, fieldwork 16–27 March 2026, published 19 May 2026. Photo: Portofino, Italian Riviera — Wikimedia Commons.
The Real Dutch Income Split
CBS's own income-quartile breakdown of summer 2025 vacation participation — the most recent official Dutch figures available, published 3 July 2026.
The richest 25% of Dutch households take a summer holiday twice as often as the poorest 25%. CBS data shows 87.3% of people in the top income quartile went on summer holiday in 2025, against 41.4% in the bottom quartile — a 46-point gap. The third quartile sits at 74.3%, the second at 58.7%. Among those who do travel, low- and high-income households go equally often — an average of two trips each — so the gap is not about frequency once you can afford to go. It is about whether you go at all.
The American Split: Who's Cutting Back, Who Isn't
This next dataset is US-specific — Deloitte's 2026 Summer Travel Survey covers American travelers only, in US dollars, and does not map onto Dutch or European income brackets. It's included to show the same rising-price story is bifurcating by income in the US too.
Under $100K (US)51% say travel is first cut when costs rise
Source: Deloitte 2026 Summer Travel Survey, published 19 May 2026. Only 45% of Americans plan a summer vacation with paid lodging this year — the lowest share in six years — yet travelers earning $100K+ now make up 55% of all travelers (up from 50% in 2025), and 24% plan to increase their trip budget (up from 19% in 2025).
Where the Deals Still Are
Not every part of the market is getting more expensive — Airbnb's 2026 summer data points to a growing budget-conscious segment chasing rural and off-peak stays.
Rural Getaways
86%
of travelers say they're interested in a rural getaway in 2026 — 94% among Gen Z.
Emerging Destinations
<$250
average nightly rate in Airbnb's featured emerging 2026 destinations, well below established hotspots.
World Cup 2026 Stays
77%
of available World Cup 2026 stays on Airbnb are priced below $500 a night.
About the Author
TrendsOnFire is a AI based market intelligence platform publishing editorial analysis on retail, technology, supply chain, people and transformation trends across Europe.
Created by Olga Bressers, a senior executive with experience in commercial & digital operations, ecommerce, omni-channel strategy, operations, programs and business transformation.
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