The BIG trip is making a coming back
In a new survey of over 4,000 travellers*, global travel site Skyscanner found that 37% of travellers globally are dreaming of bucket list trips this year.
The research also revealed the post-pandemic traveller is more adventurous and open minded than ever, with 41% opting to explore somewhere new this year. And of those planning to spend more in 2022, 39% of travellers are planning to spend it on travelling further afield.
Skyscanner’s latest extensive global flight booking data shows bookings for bucket list destinations are on the rise with once-in-a-lifetime destinations such as Mexico and the Maldives rising in the ranks compared to 2019 levels.
Trending bucket-list destinations for UAE travellers and live deals using Skyscanner’s cheapest month tool**:
| Destination | Increase in bookings 2022 Vs 2019 | Live Price using Skyscanner cheapest month tool |
| Mexico | 348% | Dubai to Cancun (one stop economy return) 4-17 October 2022: AED 4,779 |
| Malta | 290% | Abu Dhabi to Valetta (one stop economy return) 3-10 November 2022: AED 702 |
| Albania | 275% | Abu Dhabi to Tirana (direct economy return) 24 August-3 September 2022: AED 483 |
| Colombia | 141% | Dubai to Bogota (one stop economy return) 14-30 October 2022: AED 5,660 |
| Austria | 104% | Abu Dhabi to Vienna (direct economy return) 6-15 October 2022: AED 428 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 88% | Abu Dhabi to Sarajevo (direct economy return) 6-18 October 2022: AED 487 |
| Canada | 75% | Dubai to Toronto (direct economy return) 5-17 October 2022: AED 3610 |
| Greece | 72% | Abu Dhabi to Santorini (direct economy return) 15-29 August 2022: AED 473 |
| Portugal | 69% | Dubai to Lisbon (direct economy return) 14-21 September 2022: AED 3,104 |
Trending bucket-list destinations for Saudi travellers and live deals using Skyscanner’s cheapest month tool***:
| Destination | Increase in bookings 2022 Vs 2019 | Live Price using Skyscanner cheapest month tool |
| Maldives | 59% | Riyadh to Malé (one stop economy return) 18-27 April 2023: SAR 3,013 |
| Portugal | 53% | Damman to Lisbon (one stop economy return) 1-13 November 2022: SAR 945 |
| UK | 39% | Jeddah to London (direct economy return) 1-7 November 2022: SAR 2,365 |
| Netherlands | 37% | Dammam to Amsterdam (direct economy return) 2-10 October 2022: SAR 2511 |
| Hungary | 23% | Dammam to Budapest (one stop economy return) 1-8 October 2022: SAR 2,843 |
| South Africa | 20% | Jeddah to Cape Town (one stop economy return) 1-16 August 2022: SAR 3,187 |
| Austria | 16% | Dammam to Vienna (one stop economy return) 8-19 November 2022: SAR 329 |
| Mauritius | 15% | Jeddah to Mauritius (direct economy return) 10-17 May 2022: SAR 2,435 |
| France | 10% | Jeddah to Paris (direct economy return) 13-21 September 2022: SAR 2,148 |
| Italy | 9% | Jeddah to Rome (direct economy return) 2-9 October 2022: SAR 2,711 |
Skyscanner’s Travel Trends Forecaster, Naomi Hahn, comments:
“Coming out of such a long period of lockdowns and stop start travel restrictions, those first trips away have been invaluable and 2022 will be the year we see travellers getting the very most out of cherished, once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences. In fact, 57% of travellers revealed they place more importance now on travel than they did pre-pandemic.
“As travel restrictions have eased and traveller confidence returned, we’ve witnessed a travel revival with pent-up demand turning into millions of travellers enjoying their much longed for trips again. Our latest traveller pulse research reveals a strong desire to make big bucket list trips a reality this year.
“Flights to bucket list destinations don’t have to cost a lot if you know how to search for the best prices – in fact Skyscanner helps travellers compare more than 1,200 airlines and online travel agents to find the cheapest options. Flight prices are all based on supply and demand and because some dates and routes will be more popular than others, prices will vary. Skyscanner’s ‘Cheapest Month’ search tool is a great way to scour thousands of options in seconds so you can find the cheapest day and deal for your travel plans. Consider traveling a day before or a day after your original departure dates where possible.
Skyscanner’s top 4 flight-booking hacks for saving money on that bucket list trip in 2022:
Make the ultimate round the world, bucket list trip an affordable reality: Skyscanner’s multi city search allows travellers to select multiple journey legs, as well plan “open jaw” trips with stopovers, so that you can tailor-make the perfect trip – DIY’ing an around the world trip with individual flights could save compared to the packaged alternative!
Broaden your options: “If you’re lucky to have a few airports in travel distance, you can find out which option is cheapest for your flight with this one simple trick – tick the ‘add nearby airports’ option when you search on Skyscanner. If you’d like to limit it to specific airports, then on the search results page, you can untick the airports you don’t want to fly from. This works for your arrival airport, too.”
Mix it Up: “Flights don’t have to be booked as returns, and by comparing costs and booking separate one-way fares can end up saving you money. Skyscanner’s search scours all the options and shows you the best deal, whether it means flying out and back with the same airline or mixing it up.”
Timing is everything: “Know where and when you want to travel, but not in a rush to book? You could make savings by setting up a price alert. Simply log into Skyscanner then press the Alarm Bell icon on your chosen search. You’ll be sent emails when the flight prices decrease, and you could bag yourself a deal.”
Flex travel: “Our new trend research revealed more and more travellers are being increasingly flexible and shopping around for the best deal. Skyscanner’s Search Everywhere tool is a great way to see what’s available, ordered by price, and can inspire you to go somewhere you’ve never been before.”