NEW YORK, September 10 — Expedia’s 2026 Island Hot List landed this week, and the travel company’s own flight-search data tells a story of its own. Interest in the ten islands named on the list is up 55% year over year, and every single destination on it showed positive growth. The list, published in a New York Post shopping and travel roundup by Victoria McDonnell on September 10, identifies ten island destinations where traveler demand is rising.
St. Lucia sits at No. 1, with travel interest up 125% year over year. Expedia names it the best island on the list for romantic escapes and recommends Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, a five-star property in Soufrière set between the Pitons and the Caribbean Sea.
From the Caribbean to the Norwegian Arctic
Porto Santo takes the No. 2 spot, with interest up 85% year over year. Expedia calls it a top choice for wellness and relaxation and points travelers toward the five-star Pestana Porto Santo Beach Resort & Spa. The island is part of the Madeira archipelago, an autonomous region of Portugal, and differs sharply from Madeira’s rugged, mountainous main island — its long golden-sand beach is the main attraction.
The remaining eight destinations round out a list that stretches well beyond the Caribbean: Praslin in the Seychelles; Syros in Greece; the Lofoten Islands in Norway; Palawan in the Philippines; Culebra in Puerto Rico; Sanibel Island in Florida; Phu Quoc in Vietnam; and Fiji. At its heart, though, the story here isn’t really the islands.
It’s the math.
The budget-optimization trend
Melanie Fish, VP of global PR at Expedia Group, told the New York Post in an exclusive interview that travelers are not pulling back — they are getting smarter. “Travelers aren’t opting out of travel — they’re optimizing,” she said. “They still want to go, but they’re getting much smarter about how they make the trip work for their budget.” The numbers back that up.
According to Expedia, Hotels.com’s Budget filter use is up 1,800%, and searches for all-inclusive stays are up 50% year over year. Fish added that value is more dynamic than simply choosing the cheapest trip.
“It can mean shifting dates, choosing a different destination, bundling more of the trip together, or prioritizing features like an all-inclusive plan, a meal plan or free breakfast,” she said. “Value is shaping where, when and how people travel — not whether they travel. Travelers are using technology to protect the experience they want while making the math work.” Expedia says travelers are using travel technology to compare options, track prices and find bundled deals, and that booking earlier can matter for Caribbean getaways during high-demand periods.
The company also notes the Hot List is not a holiday-specific forecast but a signal of where interest is building. The Madeira archipelago is drawing attention from other corners of the travel industry as well.
Lael Kassis, VP of market innovation & development at EF Go Ahead Tours, says Madeira is also gaining attention from EF travelers, with data backed by and sourced from EF World Journeys Go Ahead Tours. The New York Post notes it may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission through links, and that featured pricing is subject to change. No specific prices, booking windows or departure dates were given.
What to watch next: whether the 55% year-over-year interest growth translates into actual bookings as the fall and winter travel season approaches — and whether the budget-optimization trend Fish describes holds steady through the high-demand Caribbean months.
