Revealed! Where families are flocking for summer 2026… and where they’re not

After the excitement of Christmas is over for another year, many families will turn their attention to booking their summer holiday. Booking early not only means that all of the crew will have something to look forward to, but savvy parents will be able to take advantage of early booking deals, from low or £0 deposits to free kids’ places.

If you’re looking to secure your time away with the kids and are struggling to decide where to go, we’ve dug into our site data at TravelSupermarket HQ to reveal which destinations are trending with families – and where families are avoiding. Here’s what we found.

Searches for Dubai holidays are up 194%

We looked at family searches on TravelSupermarket for summer 2026 holidays compared to summer 2025 and found Dubai leading the charge with an extraordinary 194% increase in family interest, jumping from 2.14% to 6.29% of all family holiday searches to claim the fourth spot in our overall family rankings.

Talking about the change, Chris Webber, head of holidays and deals at TravelSupermarket says: "Dubai isn't just a destination for influencers and the mega rich; it has been investing heavily in affordable family accommodation and it's paying off. Brits are increasingly willing to brave the summer heat for guaranteed sunshine and world-class facilities."

Mediterranean islands are a winner

Mediterranean island favourites dominate the growth rankings, too, with Majorca recording a remarkable 128% increase in holiday searches to secure third place in our overall rankings, while Greek island Kos has surged 132% to 11th position. Fuerteventura is also trending, with a similarly impressive growth at 167%.

Canary island favourite Tenerife has experienced an 86% surge in popularity, to claim the second overall spot behind Turkey's Antalya area, which was the most searched family destination both this year and last despite interest cooling with its share of search dropping by 12%.

America’s appeal is declining

Our data shows that US destinations have experienced sharp declines across the board. Las Vegas has seen family interest drop by 78%, while New York is down 62%. Even Florida, traditionally a stalwart of summer holidays thanks to its theme parks and beaches, has declined by 2%.

Chris says: “Concerns over US visa requirements, border policies and the broader political climate may be putting British families off transatlantic travel. Florida is bucking the trend and holding steady with only a 2% dip in interest, thanks to its theme parks and beaches, but other US destinations are seeing sharp declines.”

Families cool on the Caribbean

The Caribbean has experienced wholesale declines in family interest, too. Barbados has seen searches plummet by 80%, while Cancun is down 78%, Jamaica searches have fallen by 75% and the Dominican Republic has dropped 65%. These dramatic declines suggest families are rethinking the value proposition of long-haul beach holidays, particularly when Mediterranean and Middle Eastern alternatives offer similar experiences at lower costs and shorter travel times.

Other destinations losing interest with families

Beyond the Caribbean and US, several other destinations have fallen sharply in family favour. Cape Verde leads the declining destinations with an 88% drop, while Menorca is down 86% despite the Balearic island's reputation for family-friendly beaches. Kefalonia is down 75% and Italy's Lake Como has seen a 66% decrease in family searches.

Where families are heading to instead

While transatlantic destinations struggle, closer-to-home and mid-haul options are thriving. Egypt has risen 55% to claim tenth place overall, while the Larnaca area in Cyprus is up 57%. Malta has increased 33%, Rhodes is up 37%, and Spain's Costa Dorada has grown 38%.

Families are staying closer to home

Our data has revealed that families are choosing destinations closer to home in summer 2026. On average, families are selecting holidays with flight times of three hours and 56 minutes in 2026, down from four hours and six minutes the previous year - a ten-minute average reduction that reflects the broader shift towards more accessible destinations.

The top 10 trending family destinations

1. Dubai (up 194%)
2. Fuerteventura (up 167%)
3. Kos (up 132%)
4. Majorca (up 128%)
5. Tenerife (up 86%)
6. Larnaca area (up 57%)
7. Egypt (up 55%)
8. Costa Dorada (up 38%)
9. Rhodes (up 37%)
10. Malta (up 33%)
    

The overall top 10 family holiday destinations for summer 2026

1. Antalya area (10.69% share, down 12%)
2. Tenerife (10.48% share, up 86%)
3. Majorca (8.44% share, up 128%)
4. Dubai (6.29% share, up 194%)
5. Rhodes (6.07% share, up 37%)
6. Crete (5.28% share, up 18%)
7. Lanzarote (4.42% share, down 55%)
8. Costa Del Sol (4.10% share, up 22%)
9. Gran Canaria (3.96% share, down 37%)
10. Egypt (3.91% share, up 55%)

Methodology: The research analysed family holiday searches on TravelSupermarket for departures in summer 2026 (May-September 2026) compared to summer 2025 (May-September 2025), examining changes in destination popularity as a percentage of total family holiday searches. All percentages were accurate at the time of writing.