Where Do 10xTravel Readers Want to Go? A Deep Dive Into Our Award Booking Requests

If you’ve been following 10xTravel for a while, you know we’re always preaching about planning ahead for award travel. But just how far ahead are people planning? And where does everyone want to go? We dug into our Award Booking Service request data to find out, and the results are fascinating.

Let’s Start With the Destinations (Because That’s the Fun Part)

Remember when everyone wanted to go to the Maldives? Well, times have changed. Japan has absolutely dominated our booking requests this year, making up a whopping 15.2% of all requests. That’s right – more than 1 in 7 people who reached out to us wanted to visit the Land of the Rising Sun. With Japan embracing tourism and those stunning cherry blossoms calling, we can’t say we’re surprised.

Here’s the full top 10 breakdown:

1. Japan (15.2%) – Tokyo is king, but many folks are looking at multi-city trips including Osaka and Kyoto
2. Italy (12.8%) – The holy trinity of Rome, Florence, and Venice continues to charm
3. Thailand (8.5%) – Bangkok and Phuket leading the charge in Southeast Asia
4. Greece (7.9%) – Athens and Santorini are still having their moment
5. United Kingdom (7.4%) – London calling, with Edinburgh as a strong second
6. France (6.8%) – Paris, obviously, but Nice is gaining traction
7. Australia (5.9%) – Sydney and Melbourne dominating the requests
8. Spain (5.5%) – Barcelona and Madrid split pretty evenly
9. Portugal (4.2%) – Lisbon and Porto showing strong
10. New Zealand (3.8%) – Auckland leading the pack

Business Class or Bust

Here’s something that made us do a double-take: a staggering 78% of requests were for premium cabins. That’s right – more than three-quarters of our readers are looking to fly in style. The breakdown:
– 65% Business Class
– 13% First Class
– 22% Economy

This tells us two things: First, you all have been reading our posts about maximizing value with premium cabin redemptions. Second, those credit card welcome offers are being put to good use!

When Are People Looking to Travel?

No surprises here – summer still reigns supreme, but the distribution is interesting:

Summer Peak (June-August): 34.2%
– Perfect for: Europe, especially those Italy and Greece trips
– Warning: Everyone else has the same idea

Winter Holiday (December-January): 21.5%
– Heavy concentration around December 20-31 (14.3%)
– Great for: Southeast Asia and Australia
– Not so great for: Your sanity trying to find award space

Spring (March-April): 19.8%
– Cherry blossom season driving lots of Japan requests
– Shoulder season sweet spot for Europe

Fall (September-October): 15.6%
– The smart traveler’s summer alternative
– Better award availability, better weather, fewer crowds

Shoulder Seasons (May and November): 8.9%
– The real sweet spot for award availability
– Why aren’t more people traveling these months?

Planning Ahead (Way Ahead)

The average booking request comes in about 8.5 months before travel. That’s music to our ears! We’re always preaching about planning ahead for award travel, and it looks like you’re listening. This lead time is perfect for:
– Snagging those elusive premium cabin awards
– Coordinating complex multi-city itineraries
– Getting the exact dates you want (especially important since our average booking is for 2.4 people)

What Does This All Mean For You?

If you’re planning your next award trip, here are the key takeaways:

1. Book Early: 8.5 months out is the average, but for peak times like summer in Europe or cherry blossom season in Japan, earlier is better.

2. Be Flexible with Dates: If you can travel in shoulder seasons (May or November), you’ll likely have better luck with award availability.

3. Consider Premium Cabins: With 78% of requests for business or first class, competition for these seats is fierce. Having backup options is crucial.

4. Think Beyond the Obvious: While Japan and Italy top the list, some of the best award values might be found in less-requested destinations.

5. Multi-City Matters: Many of our requests involve multiple cities or countries. These complex itineraries require more planning but can offer incredible value.

Looking Ahead

What does this data tell us about the future of award travel? For one, premium cabin redemptions are more popular than ever. People are planning big, ambitious trips well in advance.

The concentration of requests for Japan also hints at a broader trend – when a popular destination fully reopens after restrictions, expect a surge of interest that can last for months or even years.

Have you started planning your next award trip? Where are you headed? Let us know in our 10xTravel Insiders Facebook group!