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As travel demand continues to soar, the 2025 Global Travel Trends Report from American Express Travel offers valuable insights not just into where people are going — but why and how they’re traveling. For airlines and inflight service providers, these insights are crucial: they highlight how personalized, tech-enabled, and emotionally meaningful travel experiences are becoming the new standard. Understanding these evolving traveler expectations offers a unique opportunity to refine onboard digital content strategies, enhance loyalty, and create deeper engagement with passengers.
According to the report:
– 77% of travelers plan more or the same number of international trips in 2025.
– 74% plan 1–3 domestic trips.
This growth is no longer about quantity alone — today’s travelers seek experiences that balance luxury, cultural immersion, and personal connection.
Takeaway for inflight digital teams: Content should cater to curated experiences, not just entertainment — think destination storytelling, cultural insights, and journey-focused experiences.
– 75% of Millennials and Gen Z see using points for travel as a rewarding experience.
– 66% of global respondents say stacking credit card points and loyalty benefits offers the best value—fueling the rise of the “Benefit Aficionado.”
– Nearly half (45%) of travelers now choose destinations based on where they can get the most value from their points.
Technology is also streamlining travel:
– 83% of Millennials and Gen Z find Gen AI useful, particularly for activity recommendations, budgeting, and translation.
– 80% use apps or social media to plan their journey, favoring personalized, fast, and mobile-first solutions.
Inflight opportunity: Integrate loyalty-linked offers, mobile-friendly entertainment, and AI-powered personalization onboard to meet tech-savvy travelers’ expectations.
Multi-generational travel is on the rise, with 58% of Millennial and Gen Z parents planning trips with extended family. But it’s not just about convenience—89% cite quality time as the top motivation.
Also noteworthy:
– 72% are willing to take their kids out of school for off-season trips.
– 81% of travelers prioritize destinations with family-friendly activities.
Inflight opportunity: Offer family-centric inflight content — kids’ channels, group gaming, educational apps — and highlight activities for all generations.
Travelers are moving beyond duty free, opting for handmade, authentic local goods:
– 82% of Millennials and Gen Z seek unique items to share stories.
– Most-wanted items include designer fashion (58%), beauty products (46%), and home decor (43%).
– 73% aim to support local small businesses, often discovering them via local guides or social media.
Inflight opportunity: Curate destination-based retail content and promote local brands and authentic experiences via the IFE system.
– Asia-Pacific travelers lead in digital payments and mobile bookings.
– African and Middle Eastern travelers embrace digital tools, but often rely more on human booking channels.
– North Americans top the list in credit card usage and biometric adoption.
– Europeans remain cautious with data sharing, but value security and loyalty programs.
– Latin American travelers show growing interest in tech, with high satisfaction in biometrics and a strong preference for flexible payment options.
Inflight opportunity: Tailor content and retail offers by region to align with different digital behaviors and cultural expectations.
This report confirms a shift toward a more personalized, tech-integrated, and emotionally-driven travel experience. For airlines, it’s not just about transporting passengers from A to B — it’s about creating a seamless digital journey that begins with planning, continues inflight, and remains memorable after landing.
By refining passenger personas, enhancing mobile-first engagement, and curating more meaningful inflight content, airlines can better align with the passion and practicality that define 2025’s travelers.
As Audrey Hendley, President of American Express Travel, says:
“People feel passionately about their vacations. We understand what travelers are looking for—and as demand continues, we can use our expertise to create dream itineraries.”
The same principle applies inflight: the future belongs to airlines that know their passengers, connect with them digitally, and deliver personalized journeys worth remembering.
Source: American Express Travel – 2025 Global Travel Trends Report
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