From locking in flights first to paying for expertise and flexibility, here’s what to consider before booking your summer holiday this year. With rising fuel costs, geopolitical uncertainty and disruption across major travel corridors, summer travel in 2026 has even seasoned holidaymakers rethinking how and where they go. But they're not staying home. Flight searches are up 4% this summer compared with last year, according to Kayak's Summer Travel Check-In , with US domestic interest up 7%.