The average American has loved three ‘vacations of a lifetime’ – with Hawaii, Rome and Paris amongst top destinations. Previously thought of one thing taken as soon as in everybody’s life, Americans are discovering new methods to make travel a precedence, with 37% believing bucket listing journeys are more achievable than 10 years in the past.
The ballot of 2,000 adults discovered that distinctive food and drink choices (36%) was the top standards for millennials when discovering a trip of a lifetime. While a quarter (25%) of Gen-Z think about a trip a ‘once in a lifetime’ expertise when it permits them to do actions they wouldn’t have the ability to do at home.
More than half of Americans (57%) are actually signed up to a loyalty program and 26% of these declare points have helped them entry experiences they wouldn’t have in any other case.
The analysis comes as Virgin Red releases its inaugural report, The Points Index, ‘The Era of the Dream Trip’, revealing the shift in how Americans worth loyalty points in a bid to unlock ‘once-in-a-lifetime vacations.
The data revealed that in 2025, Americans were using reward points to attain these dream trips, with 13.6 billion Virgin Points redeemed – marking an 18% year-on-year rise in redemptions.
In the US, point-spending peaks are during traditional holiday periods, with the biggest rise (73%) seen in November, coinciding with Thanksgiving.
It found over three quarters (77%) have paid for part or the full price of a flight using loyalty points, with 33% using points for flight upgrades.
It was also found 14% would book a dream vacation to mark a milestone birthday, with 17% planning trips around special family events.
More than a third (37%) are currently in the midst of planning a big vacation, with 32% prioritising beach and relaxation trips overseas, compared to only 14% opting for shorter getaways.
And of those who took part in the study by OnePoll.com, a quarter (25%) of Gen Z were found to be prioritizing activities and experiences when it comes to motivations to travel.
Andrea Burchett, chief loyalty officer at Virgin Red, which revealed travel makes up 86% of point spending across its members, said: “Loyalty is fundamentally reshaping how Americans think about travel.
“Trips once seen as ‘once in a lifetime’ have gotten achievable, as customers more and more deal with points as a strategic currency.
“Even in an unsure financial climate, Americans are prioritizing significant travel and loyalty helps make it potential.”
TOP 10 ‘TRIP OF A LIFETIME’ DESTINATIONS – ACCORDING TO AMERICANS:
- Hawaii, USA
- Rome, Italy
- Paris, France
- Venice, Italy
- Tokyo, Japan
- Sydney, Australia
- Alaska, USA
- The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
- Barcelona, Spain
- Cairo, Egypt
