From bucket list to budget list: how your wallet is increasingly determining your holiday destination

Ticking a dream destination off your bucket list? For more and more travellers these days, the search for a holiday starts somewhere else entirely: with their available budget. It is no longer one specific destination that takes centre stage; instead, budget and travel dates are increasingly determining where the trip will take them. According to easyJet, this means travellers are searching with greater flexibility and discovering destinations they might not have immediately considered beforehand.

This trend comes as no surprise. As the cost of living continues to rise, consumers are keeping a closer eye on their spending, including when it comes to holidays. Whereas in the past people would first choose a destination and only then consider the price, more and more travellers are reversing that process. They first decide how much they want to spend and then look for inspiration from the options that fit within that budget.

From bucket list to budget list

The way we plan our holidays is changing. Whereas a holiday used to often start with a city or beach that had been on the bucket list for years, the search now increasingly begins with the question: Which destination fits my budget?

It is precisely this flexibility that encourages travellers to look beyond the well-known hotspots. By keeping an open mind when searching, they discover destinations they might not otherwise have considered. It is not the destination itself that is the focus, but the experience someone is looking for: a sunny break, a city break or a few days away, all within their available budget.

How far will your holiday budget take you?

To help travellers with this, easyJet developed the Inspire Me tool. The tool allows travellers to search by departure point, travel dates and budget. Based on this information, it suggests destinations that match the preferences entered. The examples below are based on a three-day return flight from Amsterdam.

From Amsterdam for less than €100

Even on a tight budget, there are plenty of options for a spontaneous getaway. For less than €100 return, you can fly from Amsterdam to, for example, Mallorca (from €94.23), London (from €95.82), Ibiza (from €97.23) or Bristol (from €99.82).

From Amsterdam for less than €150

If you have a little more to spend, you’ll have an even wider choice of destinations. For less than €150 return, you can fly from Amsterdam to destinations including Prague (from €108.23), Venice Marco Polo (from €112.23), Naples (from €132.73) and Fuerteventura (from €136.73).

From Amsterdam for less than €200

Even on a budget of up to €200, there are some surprising destinations within easy reach. From Amsterdam, for example, you can fly to Pula (from €157.10), Sardinia (from €160.23), Hurghada (from €181.78) or Copenhagen (from €182.31).

The fares quoted are indicative, based on a three-day return flight from Amsterdam and subject to travel dates and availability.

Inspiration over destination

According to easyJet, this trend shows that travellers are becoming increasingly flexible when it comes to planning their holidays. It is not the demand ‘Where do I want to go?’ is increasingly taking centre stage, but ‘Which destination suits my budget, travel dates and preferences?’

“We’re seeing that travellers are increasingly open to destinations they might not have immediately considered beforehand. Their search is less often based on a single specific destination and increasingly focused on what is possible within their available budget and travel dates. With ”Inspire Me’, we want to inspire travellers to discover new destinations that suit both their preferences and their budget,” says William Vet, Country Manager for the Netherlands at easyJet.