Where Will You Travel in 2025? London, Tokyo, Paris, and New Emerging Destinations

Published on December 24, 2025

As the air travel landscape in 2025 continues to evolve, London, Tokyo, and Paris remain at the forefront, leading the pack in both leisure and business travel. The most recent data from Amadeus company’s ForwardKeys reveals that these destinations are still the most sought-after for air travellers, with London holding its position as the world’s most visited destination. As global demand for travel reaches new heights, these cities are attracting millions of visitors each year, with strong year-on-year growth.

In addition to these well-established hubs, other cities like Bangkok, Dubai, and Osaka are seeing a significant surge in interest, highlighting emerging global hotspots. With such a diverse range of destinations experiencing growth, travellers have more exciting options than ever before for their next adventure.

Leading the Charge: The Most Popular Destinations in 2025

As anticipated, London maintained its position at the top in 2025, confirming its status as a global travel powerhouse. The city’s rich history, cultural landmarks, and vibrant atmosphere continue to captivate both leisure and business visitors alike. Following closely behind, Tokyo remains a perennial favourite, with a modest increase in share (up by 2.3 percent), while Paris climbed to third place with a slight rise of 2.0 percent. The demand for these top-tier cities reflects stable air travel growth in some of the most iconic global hubs.

Meanwhile, destinations like Bangkok, Dubai, and Barcelona solidified their position in the global rankings, each capturing increased shares of air traffic in 2025, marking them as major players in the international travel sector. These cities offer a unique combination of rich cultural experiences, luxury travel, and business opportunities, making them appealing choices for a wide range of travellers.

Other cities such as Palma Mallorca, Osaka, Cancun, and Antalya continue to attract visitors for their vibrant tourism scenes, contributing to a well-rounded global list of popular destinations.

Emerging Destinations: Growth and Opportunities for New Travel Markets

One of the most exciting trends in 2025 is the rapid growth of emerging destinations, particularly in the APAC region. Cities such as Okinawa, Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou have all posted impressive year-on-year growth, with Okinawa leading the charge at 36 percent growth, while Beijing and Shanghai saw gains of 29 percent and 27 percent respectively. This growth underscores the resurgence of mainland China as a key market for international air travel, signalling increasing confidence in these regions.

The appeal of North Asia, in particular, is gaining momentum as China’s major urban centres see recovery, and new routes emerge to cater to the demand. Travellers are increasingly interested in these regions for their cultural heritage, modern attractions, and business opportunities.

Year-on-Year Performers: Madrid, Alicante, and Punta Cana See Exceptional Growth

Looking at the performance of destinations in terms of year-on-year growth, Madrid and Alicante led the pack, both experiencing a significant 10 percent increase in air travel. These cities have become key destinations for both leisure tourism and corporate travel in 2025. Not far behind, Punta Cana posted an impressive 9 percent rise, and Dubai and Marrakech showed consistent growth with 8 percent increases.

This surge in bookings is a reflection of recovered demand and growing interest in both European and Caribbean hotspots. Additionally, other cities such as Milan, Malaga, and Barcelona continued to experience strong growth, further solidifying their status as top travel destinations for both business and leisure visitors.

Corporate Travel: Key Business Hubs in 2025

The landscape of business travel in 2025 also shows clear shifts. Shanghai leads the pack as the fastest-growing international business destination, experiencing a 10 percent year-on-year increase. Other cities that posted solid growth in business travel include Tokyo (+9 percent), Madrid (+5 percent), and Copenhagen, which saw modest growth of 2 percent.

These developments reflect a resilient global business travel market that is rebounding well after the pandemic, with cities like Tokyo, Madrid, and Copenhagen emerging as critical players for international conferences, meetings, and corporate activities. Business tourism remains strong, with Shanghai and Tokyo leading as prime destinations for meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE).

The Impact of These Trends on Travellers

For travellers, these trends offer a wealth of opportunities to explore vibrant cities and immerse themselves in unique cultural experiences. Whether planning for leisure or business, global air travel in 2025 offers more options than ever, from major metropolises like London and Tokyo to emerging destinations in Asia and Europe.

These trends also offer valuable insights for travel industry professionals. With the growing demand for APAC destinations and the continuing importance of business travel, there is ample opportunity for airlines, hotels, and destination marketers to adapt and target these expanding markets.

The 2025 Air Travel Landscape Is Full of Opportunity

In conclusion, the air travel trends of 2025 present an exciting landscape for both leisure and business travellers. London, Tokyo, and Paris continue to lead the charge as top destinations, with strong year-on-year growth seen across several global hotspots. At the same time, emerging destinations like Okinawa and Beijing are carving their niche, while corporate travel continues to expand in key cities like Shanghai and Madrid.

These trends not only provide opportunities for travellers but also set the stage for continued innovation and growth in the travel industry as we look toward the future of global air travel.