The 10 Places Poised to Dominate Travel in 2026

Image: Jamaa el Fna market square, Marrakesh, Morocco. (Photo Credit: kasto / Adobe Stock)
Image: Jamaa el Fna market square, Marrakesh, Morocco. (Photo Credit: kasto / Adobe Stock)
Lacey Pfalz
by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Tue November 18, 2025

The top ten most trending destinations for the next year include some of the world’s most beautiful natural scenery, biodiversity and human cultural traditions, according to American Express Travel’s annual Trending Destinations list. 

The list is compiled with data from global American Express Card Member travel bookings and insights from Amex Travel’s network of travel consultants.

The top ten destinations are as follows: 

  • Indian Himalayas
  • Killarney, Ireland
  • Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Marrakech, Morocco
  • Marbella, Spain
  • Okinawa Islands, Japan
  • Panama City, Panama
  • Papagayo Peninsula, Costa Rica
  • San Juan Mountains, Colorado
  • St. Julian’s, Malta 

“Travel is an incredible passion for our Card Members, and we know they are looking for curated inspiration for the range of trips they want to take,” said Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel. “The 2026 Trending Destinations list offers that curated inspiration, and booking with Amex Travel offers premium benefits and experiences that we know are meaningful to Card Members.”

From the vast mountains of the Himalayas and the stunning vistas of the San Juan Mountains to the islands of Okinawa and Malta, these destinations almost all offer incredible natural beauty and scenery, not to mention centuries-old traditions and cultures. 

Others, like Las Vegas, are known for their entertainment and nightlife, or experiences that can’t be had anywhere else in the world.  


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Lacey Pfalz

Lacey Pfalz

Associate Editor

Lacey Pfalz is Associate Editor at TravelPulse. She's a passionate advocate of responsible travel and believes the best travel experiences happen outside of a planned itinerary. Lacey currently lives in rural Wisconsin. She can be reached at lpfalz@ntmllc.com.

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