Travel is finally returning to its pre-pandemic numbers, with this year expected to set a few records, according to a staff report from The New York Times.

Knowing how busy the year will be, here are some of the trends travelers will face in 2024.

Airline Prices

According to the International Air Transport Association, the global number of air travelers is set to reach 4.7 billion this year, surpassing the previous record of 4.5 billion in 2019.

While average ticket prices throughout the world are not expected to change, In the United States, both domestic and international airfares are expected to drop. Reasons include increased airplane capacity and a drop in jet fuel costs.

Travelers flying domestically in February can expect to pay around $276 per round-trip, which is an eight percent decrease compared to the same month last year.

“Airfare will rise into late spring as the spring break and summer travel period heat up,” said Hayley Berg, lead economist for the booking platform Hopper.

Experiential A.I.

This year is expected to bring more experimentation and innovation involving A.I.

The expanding use of this new technology will most likely influence how tickets are booked online, what happens in cases of canceled or delayed flights, and even ticket prices.

“In 2024, we will see a new breed of intelligent travel agents built on top of chatbots,” said Oren Etzioni, professor emeritus of computer science at the University of Washington.

Destinations

As in 2023, London, Rome, Tokyo, Cancún, and Las Vegas are among the most searched travel destinations for 2024. Other trending destinations include the Cayman Islands and French Polynesia.

“Americans are looking for fun in the sun,” said Laura Lindsay, a global travel trends expert at Skyscanner. “Our data shows that they are seeking out destinations with equal opportunities for relaxation and outdoor adventures.”

Read more about these and six more travel trends The New York Times expects to see in 2024.

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