KAYAK Announces Their Top Ten Trending Travel Destinations for 2019
KAYAK Top Ten Trending Travel Destinations for 2019
KAYAK has released their 2019 Travel Hacker Guide which features their Top Ten Trending Destinations. The destinations that made this list are the ones that have seen the largest increase in Kayak searches vs. the previous year.
Several of the destinations may not be surprising, like Rome or Paris. But others may be unexpected.
Discover the Best Month to Book Tickets for Lowest Price
KAYAK data has also revealed when is the best time to buy your ticket. In other words, KAYAK has determined how many months before your trip you should buy your ticket to secure the lowest price. I’ve included that information below.
Top 5 Things to Do
I have also listed the Top 5 Things to Do in each destination. The Top 5 lists are according to US News and World Report except in the case of Ho Chi Minh which is sourced from Trip Adviser.
Tips: How to Get There Using Points & Miles
After the destinations I will go through tips of how to get to some of these places for free using points and miles. You want to be sure to read on through to the end and maybe your next trip can be free.
So, without any further delay, here is KAYAK’s list of Top Ten Trending Destinations for 2019.
10. Munich, Germany – 34% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights three months in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to do in Munich
- English Garden
- Church of Our Lady
- St. Peter’s Church
- Deutsches Museum
- Marienplatz
9. Maui, Hawaii – 35% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights one month in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in Maui
- Road to Hana
- Helicopter Tours
- Kaanapali Beach
- Snorkeling Tours
- Haleakala National Park
8. Rome, Italy – 39% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights six months in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in Rome
- Trevi Fountain
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- Pantheon
- Colosseum
- Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel
7. Paris, France – 41% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights six months in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in Paris
- Notre Dame Cathedral
- Louvre Museum
- Eiffel Tower
- Le Marais
- Montmartre
6. Lisbon, Portugal – 42% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights six months in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in Lisbon
- Tram 28
- Alfama
- Belem
- Santa Justa Elevator
- Sintra
5. Guadalajara, Mexico -43% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights four months in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in Guadalajara
- Rotonda de los Jaliscienses
- Templo Expiatorio del Santisimo Sacramento
- Guadalajara Cathedral
- Instituto Cultural de Cabanas
- San Juan de Dios Market
4. The Bahamas – 45% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights one month in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in The Bahamas
- Beaches
- Boat Tours
- Diving & Snorkeling
- Atlantis, Paradise Island
- Lucayan National Park
3. Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – 49% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights six months in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in Ho Chi Minh (Trip Advisor)
- Cu Chi Tunnels
- War Remnants Museum
- Bitexco Financial Tower
- Saigon Opera House
- Benthanh Street Food Market
2. Bali, Indonesia – 65% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights five months in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in Bali
- Tirta Empul Temple
- Uluwatu Temple
- Tanah Lot Temple
- Jimbaran
- Kintamani
1. Mexico City, Mexico – 73% increase in KAYAK searches
Book flights one month in advance or six months in advance for lowest price.
Top 5 Things to Do in Mexico City
- Museo Nacional de Antropologia
- Palacio de Bellas Artes
- Templo Mayor
- Teotihuacan
- Zocalo
Get There for Free by Travel Hacking
What could be better than traveling to one of the top trending destinations in 2019? Traveling there for free, obviously. Travel Hacking is the strategic accumulation of loyalty points and miles for free travel. By utilizing travel awards credit card welcome bonuses, you can travel to any of these destination for free.
In fact, in an example I give below, a single credit card welcome bonus can get you to most destinations on the list after just a single purchase. Read on to see how.
How to Accumulate Airline Points Fast
One of the fastest ways to accumulate enough airline miles for a free ticket to any of the destinations on the list is to take advantage of the welcome bonuses being offered by two American Airlines co-branded cards: the American Airlines AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard and the Citibank AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard.
These cards both offer miles in the American Airlines AAdvantage program. But the reason I really like this combination is because only one of these cards requires a minimum spend before granting the welcome bonus, which is unusual. Most travel awards credit cards require a minimum spend on the card of a few thousand dollars.
Card Specifics
AAdvantage Aviator Red Mastercard welcome bonus of 60,000 miles after paying the $95 annual fee and making one purchase.
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card welcome bonus of 50,000 miles after $2,500 spent on card within first 3 months of account opening. $99 annual fee is waived for the first year.
What You Need to Do
All you would need to do to take advantage of these offers is pay the $95 annual fee on the Aviator Red card and shift $2,500 of your normal spending to the Citi AAdvantage card for three months or less. This will provide you with enough AAdvantage miles for a variety of travel options.
The 110,000 miles you would earn are more than enough for a free round-trip flight to any of the destinations on the list.
How Many Miles You’ll Need
Here are how the required miles break down per destination.
- Mexico City, Mexico – 30,000 miles
- Bali, Indonesia – 70,000 miles
- Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – 70,000 miles
- The Bahamas – 30,000 miles
- Guadalajara, Mexico – 30,000 miles
- Lisbon, Portugal – 60,000 miles
- Paris, France – 60,000 miles
- Rome, Italy – 60,000 miles
- Maui, Hawaii – 45,000 miles
- Munich, Germany – 60,000 miles
These Have Been Just a Few Examples
There are countless ways to earn enough points and miles for free travel just as there are countless credit cards, hotels and airlines offering these award travel opportunities. The scenarios listed above are just examples of what is possible. Hopefully they have sparked your imagination and convinced you that you can book your next trip using loyalty points and miles.
Top Ten Recap
- Mexico City, Mexico – 73% increase in KAYAK searches
- Bali, Indonesia – 65% increase in KAYAK searches
- Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam – 49% increase in KAYAK searches
- The Bahamas – 45% increase in KAYAK searches
- Guadalajara, Mexico -43% increase in KAYAK searches
- Lisbon, Portugal – 42% increase in KAYAK searches
- Paris, France – 41% increase in KAYAK searches
- Rome, Italy – 39% increase in KAYAK searches
- Maui, Hawaii – 35% increase in KAYAK searches
- Munich, Germany – 34% increase in KAYAK searches
*All of the above offers were accurate at time of writing this article but are subject to frequent change. Banks are always altering their offers so please take some time to get familiar with what are the best offers for your own needs.