10 Most Popular Summer Travel Destinations for 2023

With tourism season about to kick into high gear, travelers are beginning to plan their summer vacations. To get an idea of where the most popular destinations will be this year, Delta Air Lines compiled a top 10 list of 2023’s most likely hot spots based on where people are searching for flights.

Going by the data, it seems as though the trends this year are split mostly between European cities and tropical beach vacations.

In the number one spot is London, England, which shouldn’t be too shocking given the recent coronation celebration of Charles III and Camilla. Americans tend to flock to Britain over affairs pertaining to the royal family—look no further than the tourism boom that followed the nuptials of William and Kate in 2011.

Mexico also clocked in twice on the list, with Cancun as the second-most-searched destination and Los Cabos ninth, as the famed spring break destinations clearly remain popular with travelers even during the summer months. Adding to the appeal is relatively affordable direct flights to both locations out of Delta hubs in many U.S. cities.

Caribbean vacations are likewise in vogue, with Montego Bay, Jamaica coming in seventh and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic rounding out the 10th spot. Both locations offer sandy beaches and tropical resorts, with activities such as snorkeling, windsurfing, golf, and scuba diving being popular among tourists.

Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, and Athens all made the top 10 list representing Europe. Tourism in Amsterdam, in particular, has surged over the past decade; so much so that the city launched an anti-tourism campaign this year in an attempt to curb “nuisance and overcrowding.”

And while Paris and Athens are no brainers, the inclusion of Rome in the number four spot may be due in part to it being a key hub for other Italian destinations such as the Amalfi Coast and Sicily—the latter of which featured in season 2 of HBO’s massively popular anthology series The White Lotus late last year.

At number five, Tokyo is the sole destination in the Asia-Pacific region to make the list. Tourism has unsurprisingly surged in the city since Japan reopened its borders to international travelers in October 2022. Though, the 1.52 million foreign visitors who flocked to Tokyo last year still falls short of the record 31.8 million who visited prior to the pandemic in 2019.

Below is the complete top 10 list:

1. London, England
2. Cancun, Mexico
3. Paris, France
4. Rome, Italy
5. Tokyo, Japan
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands
7. Montego Bay, Jamaica
8. Athens, Greece
9. Los Cabos, Mexico
10. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic