Welcome to 2026!
The new year is the perfect time to stop, relax, reflect and start thinking about what you want to achieve over the next 12 months. As you relax into the new year, start thinking about where you want to go on vacation.
Perhaps we can help?
CNN Travel has released a list of places to visit in 2026. These 20 locations include spots on six of the seven continents (sorry, Antarctica!), so there’s a good chance at least one of them will solve your travel woes.
Some areas, such as Bahrain and Adelaide, Australia, are opening new air routes that will make it easier for Americans to get there. Some cities offer exciting arts and culture, such as Oulu in Finland and Brussels in Belgium. And if you want your trip to be part of a destination, why not suggest the fjords of Chile or the remote Orkhon Valley in Mongolia?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by too many options, consider making your decision by process of elimination. We’ve also compiled a list of places you won’t be able to visit next year.
For example, some of Paris’ top attractions, such as the Center Pompidou and the Catacombs, are scheduled for renovation in 2026, so you might decide to rearrange your itinerary.
plane and train
If you’re looking forward to air travel, check out our comprehensive breakdown of all the aviation information you’ll need in 2026, including the new buzzword: premiumization. Additionally, it provides insight into how geopolitics and inflation help determine airline ticket prices.
Railways are also preparing for a big year in 2026. This is good news for European travelers, as the continent’s famous night trains make a big comeback, with new high-speed routes opening in countries such as Germany, Italy, Hungary and Denmark.
The Middle East is following Europe’s lead. Saudi Arabia’s high-speed rail is one of many technological advancements that will make exploring the country’s deserts and metropolises easier than ever before, while the United Arab Emirates’ Etihad rail network is set to connect all seven emirates.
When thinking about where to go, it’s a good idea to think about what kind of traveler you want to be. Do you take photos of people without their permission, or do you learn to say “please” and “thank you” in the local language?
Our thorough review of the worst travelers of 2025 will give you plenty of inspiration on what not to do.
We tested ChatGPT travel advice in 5 cities
CNN Travel team members from five major cities around the world asked ChatGPT to create their trips. See how we tested itineraries to help you use the most popular LLM (Large-Scale Language Model) for travel planning more effectively. To learn more about our experiments, read the full report.
Are you planning to use ChatGPT or a similar AI program to plan your next vacation? Five CNN Travel editors in five major cities tested these systems to help them entertain a finicky toddler in New York City, avoid spicy food in Thailand, and get around without a car in Atlanta.
See how it worked for them and learn how to get the most out of it when using ChatGPT for travel advice.
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