It can be pretty pricey to travel, but for many, it’s usually worth the cost. This year, while a lot of us are watching our budgets more than ever, some are ready to splurge on a dream getaway. According to a new survey of 6-thousand adults by travel insurance comparison site Squaremouth, 45% are increasing their travel budgets for 2026. More than half admit they’re also cutting back on other expenses to do that, but 23% say they’re specifically spending more for a bucket-list travel experience.
To find out where these big spenders may be going, Squaremouth created an index of the most expensive travel destinations this year.
- It’s based on reported trip costs from over 100-thousand travel insurance sales, the survey of 6-thousand customers, and data from external booking sites including Google Travel Flights and KAYAK.
- They compared each destination’s cost in five areas: average cost of flights, accommodations, rental cars, everyday food and drinks, and per-day trip cost.
- So, where is the most expensive place to visit this year? Greenland tops the list overall with an average per-day cost of $1,171, average flights of $1,357, the highest daily rental car cost in the study at $110, and some of the highest food and drink prices of all destinations analyzed.
- The British Virgin Islands come in second, followed by French Polynesia.
- But Antarctica has the highest average daily trip cost at $1,510. The average 18-day getaway will set travelers back $27,195.
The 10 Most Expensive Travel Destinations in 2026
- Greenland
- British Virgin Islands
- French Polynesia
- Antarctica
- Maldives
- Switzerland
- Zimbabwe
- Turks and Caicos
- Botswana
- Anguilla
Source: USA Today
photo: GETTY