The 5 Stupidest Travel Trends of 2025 — and 5 Worth Repeating in 2026

This year kicked off with travelers seeing how late they could arrive at the airport and still make their flights. Known as “airport theory,” the trend involved passengers arriving with only 15 to 20 minutes before boarding. Some TikTokers pulled it off, while others missed their flights entirely. Experts warned that success depends on factors like the time of year, the airport, traffic, and baggage. For anyone hoping to reduce airport stress, this is not a tactic to carry into the new year.

Related: The ‘Airport Theory’ TikTok Trend Is Causing Passengers to Miss Their Flights

A polarizing trend in 2025, also fueled by social media, was flying internationally for just a single day. Travelers squeezed as much as they could into 24 hours and flew home right after. This approach, the opposite of slow travel, ranked among the worst travel trends of the year. Beyond its environmental impact, it puts unnecessary strain on destinations that receive little benefit from the fleeting visits.

Related: The Latest TikTok Travel Trend Is Worse Than Stupid, It’s Immoral

A cute airport moment went viral when a dancer performed to Celine Dion while waiting for his flight at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Blake McGrath filmed the 21-second video—complete with leaps and pirouettes—missing his flight but earning a round of applause on TikTok. Many travelers, much to his delight, joined in by dancing to “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” sparking joy across social media.

A funny trend featuring the catchy jingle from a holiday company took off this year. The “Nothing beats a Jet2 Holiday” campaign by the UK-based tour operator inspired travelers to post videos of their travel mishaps, all set to the jingle. One popular clip, revealing a guest opening hotel curtains to discover a tiny window, racked up 343 million views.

With 3.3 million Jet2-tagged videos showcasing all sorts of fails, this trend is a quick way to get a laugh.

Recently, convenience stores have become a major attraction for travelers. Japan’s famous konbini (convenience stores), such as 7-Eleven and Lawson, have long fascinated visitors, and now people around the world share tips for making the most of them. Travelers are also exploring convenience stores in other countries to try new products as an offbeat way to discover destinations. This trend remained popular in 2025 and is likely to continue into 2026.

Related: The Wonderful World of Japan’s Incredible Convenience Stores

Earlier this year, videos surfaced of tourists illegally riding atop an iron ore train in Mauritania. These visitors bribed officials to board the train and sat among the iron ore, skipping the passenger carts, all in pursuit of a 20-hour adventure. Despite the perilous conditions—documented in photos of blackened faces—some boasted about the experience on social media. This dangerous trend is best left in 2024.

Related: Bad Tourists Are Illegally, Unethically, and Stupidly Riding This Train for the Photos