THE U.S. TO EUROPE TRAVEL TRENDS 2025

U.S. tourists spent a staggering USD 158.7 billion abroad in 2023—second only to Chinese travelers, according to Statista—which makes it crucial to understand what draws them and how emerging travel trends might unfold. Getting a feel for these shifts helps destinations fine-tune marketing, adjust infrastructure, and better manage resources so they can seize opportunities while easing potential setbacks.

To address this need, travel intelligence firm ForwardKeys rolled out a robust 12‐month forecast last February as part of its Destination Gateway package. Built on its own Total Air Market algorithm, this forecast now sneaks in data from low‐cost carriers—details that airlines usually keep under wraps. In most cases, this upgrade offers a detailed month-by-month look ahead at air travel, helping users spot evolving travel trends and predict the demand.

When the tool is applied to review U.S. outbound trips to Europe for the summer of 2025, a few interesting shifts in travel behavior start to pop up, affecting regions that lean on transatlantic visitors to boost local economies.

No Change to the Top Destinations for U.S. Tourists 

Early indications are that the four favorites for summer 2024—London, Paris, Rome and Dublin—will keep their top spots among U.S. travelers in 2025.

City Breaks Are a Travel Trend 

Berlin and Porto are set to jump three places, fueled by projected growth of roughly 8% and 9%, respectively. Plus, Bilbao and Faro are pressed for a big boost too, with forecasts suggesting they could climb 6 and even 15 positions, respectively.

The Decline in U.S. Travel to Former Favorites 

London still attracts a significant number of transatlantic visitors despite a modest 2% dip compared to last year. Meanwhile, Reykjavik—despite riding high on Icelandair's well-liked stopover program—may see a heavier fall of around 12% fewer U.S. arrivals.

Nordic Nations Welcome More U.S. Tourists 

In the Nordic region, Helsinki is expected to attract approximately 16% more U.S. tourists this summer, while Copenhagen is forecast to see a modest 3% increase. This jump could be linked to stiffer competition and improved long-haul flight options. Notably, direct flight capacity between the U.S. and Helsinki has surged by around 59%, a shift that reflects growing demand and changes in travel patterns after the Ukrainian conflict, which forced Finnish airlines to bypass Russian airspace.