Going big and going far: Family travel trends for Thanksgiving and the holidays

Key Takeaways

• Family travel represented almost 1 in 5 of all nights booked in the first half of 2024.
• Thanksgiving weekend was the most popular time for US guests to travel with pets in 2023.
• Searches for international destinations by US families increased for the holidays at the end of the year.

Airbnb can give families more: more space, more value, and more quality time together. With Thanksgiving, one of the busiest family travel times of the year, just around the corner, Airbnb is revealing new data on the rise of family travel and where and how families are traveling this holiday season.

Family travel trends on Airbnb

In the first half of 2024, family travel¹ represented almost 1 in 5 of all nights booked on Airbnb. Family travel grew 15 percent compared to 2023², and it’s easy to see why.

A recent survey of Airbnb guests shows families prioritize location (81 percent) and value (79 percent) when planning vacations. With over 8 million listings in almost every country, Airbnb offers families what they need, whether it’s a cozy cabin or a spacious villa. Families can get an Airbnb with two bedrooms and two bathrooms for approximately the price of one hotel room at a major chain³.

In just the first half of 2024, families booked over 25 million nights in Guest Favorites, Airbnb’s collection of its most-loved homes.

Families are increasingly embracing the joy of travel across generations. Multigenerational family travel grew by more than 35 percent⁴ during the first half of this year, where older adults, which could be family members or grandparents, booked stays with kids or grandchildren. The top destinations for multigenerational travel by US families tend to be coastal destinations including San Diego, CA, Cape Coral, FL, and Galveston, TX.

Thanksgiving travel trends for US families

Thanksgiving is all about gathering, and this year, families are going big.

Nearly 20 percent of US family bookings for Thanksgiving include 10 or more guests, suggesting multigenerational travel or multiple families sharing one home.

• Extra space: Say goodbye to squeezing into small spaces! Around 40 percent of US listings offer 3 or more bedrooms, so, again, you won’t have to hear your mother-in-law snoring from the conjoining room.
• Cooking at home: With nearly 90 percent of Airbnb listings featuring kitchens, you can whip up grandma’s famous green bean casserole without missing a beat. Plus, over 1 million homes come with pack-and-plays, so there’s more room in the car for your turkey fryer.
• Bring the pets: Thanksgiving weekend was the most popular time for US guests to travel with their pets in 2023, more than 35,000 pets checked in⁵. Airbnb can provide a home away from home for everyone, including furry members of the family. More than a quarter of our listings allow pets.

Here are the some of the top domestic destinations US families are searching for this Thanksgiving⁶:

• Gatlinburg, TN
• Orlando, FL
• San Diego, CA
• Pigeon Forge, TN
• Las Vegas, NV
• Branson, MO
• Palm Springs, CA
• Broken Bow, OK
• Big Bear Lake, CA
• Nashville, TN

Holiday travel trends: Families are looking further this season

While most US families may be planning to stay domestic, there’s an over 25 percent increase in international searches for the upcoming week between Christmas Eve and New Years⁷.

• Off the beaten path: Families are opting for less crowded, scenic areas to celebrate the holidays this year. About 70 percent of US family bookings for the holidays are in low-density, non-urban areas, offering a peaceful and cozy backdrop to a family holiday dinner.
• Get cozy: The most searched check-in nights for hot tubs and fireplaces are at the end of the year, where families can relax and unwind without having to jockey for space with random hotel guests.
• Going afar: Some US families are craving a real getaway, with a 30 percent rise in bookings for destinations over 3,000 miles away. Latin America, with its tropical weather and rich heritage, is a popular search for US families for the holidays, with Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil and the Dominican Republic among the top searched countries.

Here are some of the top international destinations US families are searching for this holiday season:

• Paris, France
• London, England
• Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
• San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Mont-Tremblant, Canada
• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Playa del Carmen, Mexico
• Whistler, Canada
• Nassau, The Bahamas
• Tokyo, Japan

More winter trends here

Stay safe, stay cozy this holiday season

To help families plan their vacations with ease, wherever they’re heading for the holidays, here are some top tips for booking on Airbnb and online:

Tip 1: Use family focused search hacks—including in reviews

Booking a trip with little ones comes with its own checklist of considerations, and families want reassurance that the accommodation meets their entire group’s needs. On Airbnb, guests can filter for listings by amenities like high chairs, cots and washing machines, as well as use the ‘search reviews’ feature to search listing reviews for relevant keywords, like ‘family’ and ‘children’ to get a feel for what other parents are saying about a space. To get answers to specific questions, they can also message the host prior to booking.

Tip 2: Going on holiday with family friends, teenagers and grandparents? Avoid debates on where to stay by sharing your wishlist with the whole group

Families can spend less time debating where to stay by sharing their Airbnb wishlists with the entire group. This enables everyone to add the homes they like to the list, write notes and vote on their favorite listings to help find a place that everyone agrees on.

Tip 3: Book on trusted sites to help keep your money safe

Use a trusted platform to book your trip. On Airbnb, always book, pay and communicate through the platform to take advantage of Airbnb’s secure processes and refund policies. Airbnb holds onto payments until 24 hours after check-in, while AirCover means we’ll help guests find a similar place or give them a refund if there’s a serious issue with the listing that the host can’t resolve. If a guest is asked to go off-platform, they should report it to Airbnb.

Tip 4: Look out for discounts to get the best deal

Budget can be a priority for group trips. On Airbnb, families can accommodate the whole group in one place, rather than paying for multiple hotel rooms, and the length of your stay can further help with affordability, with over two thirds of hosts offering discounts on weekly or monthly stays. Guests can also manage budgets with the Pay Over Time feature.

Tip 5: Find the best listing for the group with quality assurance measures

On Airbnb, highlights like ‘guest favorite’ and ‘Superhost’ help families know when they’ve spotted a great listing and host. Listings can be filtered in search by Guest Favorites, which will show homes most loved by other guests, while Superhosts are known for going above and beyond to provide excellent hospitality.

Tip 6: Keep child-friendly safety tips front of mind

For parents with little ones, keeping children safe on holiday is a number one concern. Safety is a priority at Airbnb, which is why we’ve partnered with experts on tips for hosts and families on home and pool safety. Tips from Safe Kids Worldwide include checking the listing for a pool fence and active supervision using water watcher cards.

^{1. Family travel is defined by bookings or searches that involve one or more baby/child.}

^{2. Based on nights stayed by global families from Jan. 1 – June 30, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.}

^{3. Comparing Airbnb’s Q2 ADR for two bedroom, two bathroom listings to an average ADR for Marriott, Hyatt and Hilton based on publicly available Q2 2024 financial reporting.}

^{4. Increase in nights booked by older adults (age 60+) with one or more baby/child in January 1 – June 30, 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.}

^{5. Based on check-ins in the US that included a pet between November 23-25, 2023.}

^{6. Top searched destinations for US family travel for checkin during Thanksgiving week (Nov. 24-Nov. 30, 2024).}

^{7. Searches by US families in Q1-Q3 2024 for the holiday season with checkins between Dec. 24, 2024 to January 1, 2025.}