Americans Say AI Travel Planners and Set-Jetting Are Still Overhyped in 2026

The Industry Keeps Pushing What Travelers Reject

Every year, travel companies roll out their predictions for the next big thing. In 2025, it was AI-powered trip planning and set-jetting.

In 2026, it’s AI-powered trip planning and set-jetting. But for the second year in a row, American travelers are calling both trends overrated.

The gap between what the industry is selling and what people actually want keeps getting wider, and the reasons say a lot about how Americans really want to travel.

42% of Americans Call AI Travel Overhyped

AI in travel claimed the top spot for the most overrated travel trend for the second year in a row, with 42% of U.S. adults ranking it first.

This came from a November 2025 survey of over 1,000 Americans about their 2026 travel plans. But travel companies keep investing heavily in AI chatbots and planning tools.

Not far behind in second place, with more than one in three Americans rating it as overhyped, is set-jetting, followed by wellness retreats.

The message from travelers is clear: stop telling us what we should want.

One in Three Dismisses Film Location Tourism

Set-jetting means traveling to places you saw in a TV show or movie. Think visiting Sicily after The White Lotus or heading to Montana because of Yellowstone.

Expedia first spotted set-jetting as a trend in 2022. About 53% of global travelers reporting increased interest in screen-inspired getaways.

But American travelers are not as enthusiastic as the industry hoped.

More than 33% ranked it as overhyped, suggesting many would rather discover destinations on their own terms than follow a Netflix algorithm.

AI Travel Tools Fail 90% of the Time

The skepticism toward AI travel planning is backed by hard data.

Recent research found that OpenAI’s most advanced model achieves only a 10% success rate on complex travel planning benchmarks.

Even with all the necessary information, AI failed to create viable plans 90% of the time.

Common errors include suggesting restaurants that closed years ago, scheduling activities outside operating hours, and creating itineraries that ignore basic geography.

Research by a UK digital marketing agency found that 90% of AI-generated itineraries contained at least one error, with nearly a quarter pointing to permanently closed attractions.

Real Travelers Got Stranded Following AI

The failures are not just theoretical.

A traveler named Dana Yao got stranded on Mount Misen in Japan after ChatGPT told her the last ropeway down left at 5:30 PM. In reality, it had already closed.

A Spanish influencer missed her flight to Puerto Rico after ChatGPT gave her incomplete visa information, failing to mention she needed ESTA approval even though European citizens do not need a traditional visa.

Another traveler in Japan followed ChatGPT’s ski trip suggestions and ended up stranded when bus schedules did not match reality.

Baby Boomers Want Nothing to Do with AI

The generational divide on AI travel tools is massive.

A survey of 2,000 Americans found that only 29% of millennials have never used AI for trip planning, with just 33% of Gen Z saying the same.

Seven in ten baby boomers say they have never used AI for their travel plans.

Older travelers still prefer traditional methods like calling hotels directly, using travel agents, or doing their own research.

They have watched enough AI disasters unfold to feel validated in their skepticism.

Set-Jetting Could Hit $8 Billion Anyway

Despite what Americans think, the set-jetting industry keeps growing.

The trend of travel inspired by TV shows and movies is now projected to become a potential $8 billion industry in the U.S. alone.

Among Gen Z and Millennials, 81% now plan their vacations based on locations featured in film and television.

In 2024, The White Lotus turned Sicily’s coastal town of Taormina into one of Italy’s most sought-after destinations, with Google searches for the filming hotel spiking more than 500%.

The industry is betting younger travelers will keep the trend alive.

Family Trips Ranked Most Underrated

So what do Americans actually want?

Family-oriented getaways rank as the number one most underrated travel trend for the new year, followed by road trips.

This suggests travelers are less interested in chasing viral moments and more focused on spending quality time with people they care about.

Over 37% of Americans feel stuck in a social rut, and 44% have not vacationed with friends in a year. The hunger for real connection is driving travel decisions more than any app or algorithm.

Road Trips Are Dominating Travel Plans

The American road trip is making a serious comeback. A whopping 71% of Americans plan to drive on their next vacation.

Seventy-six percent of global car travelers say they favor road trips over flying because it allows for more spontaneity.

After a year marked by increasingly complicated air travel, Americans are seeking simplicity and flexibility, with overall interest in international trips dipping from 28% last year to 25% this year.

Driving lets you control the pace, change plans on a whim, and skip airport security lines.

Digital Detox Splits American Opinion

One trend landed on both the overrated and underrated lists: digital detox vacations.

Americans ranked digital detoxing as one of the most overrated travel trends, but also ranked traveling off the beaten path, digital detoxing, and solo travel as the most underrated trends.

According to the 2025 Hilton Trends Report, 24% of global travelers said they now power down and disconnect from social media during vacations more than in the past.

Some travelers think unplugging is essential. Others think it is just another gimmick.

Americans Will Spend $6,354 on Travel in 2026

Despite their skepticism toward trendy buzzwords, Americans are not holding back on travel spending.

Americans expect to spend an average of $6,354 on travel in 2026, $667 more than in 2025. Sixty-eight percent of Americans say their travel budget for 2026 is greater.

Cost remains the number one travel concern, with 72% of respondents listing it as their primary worry. They will spend more, but they want to spend it on what matters to them, not what a trend report tells them to care about.

What Travelers Actually Want Is Simple

The gap between travel industry hype and traveler reality keeps growing.

Companies push AI tools that fail most of the time and encourage people to visit places because they saw them on TV.

Meanwhile, Americans want to pile into a car with their family, drive somewhere familiar, and maybe leave their phones in the hotel room.

As one travel expert put it, Americans are craving travel that is meaningful but manageable, with freedom to explore without overcomplicating the planning process.

Sometimes the best trip is the one you planned yourself.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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