AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Upgraded Points‘ latest study examines which destinations U.S. travelers are most curious about visiting for spring break this year, based on Google search interests. The analysis identifies every state’s top-searched domestic and international destinations, offering a global view of spring break travel trends in 2026.
“Search trends can give us clear insight into which locations travelers may be researching, even before bookings happen,” said Keri Stooksbury, editor-in-chief at Upgraded Points. “From familiar U.S. beaches to international resorts, this data reveals where Americans are considering for their next spring break trips.”
Key Takeaways
Mexico leads international search interest across the U.S., with Cancún, Mexico, standing out as the most-searched destination overall. Other international destinations also show strong interest, suggesting travelers are considering a wider range of experiences beyond traditional domestic spring break party hubs.
Some international details:
- Cancún, Mexico, is the top-searched international spring break destination in 13 states, making it the most searched overall.
- Greece ranks second, leading search interest in 8 states, with growing site curiosity beyond typical beach destinations.
- Belize ranks No. 1 in 5 states, while Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, tops 4 states.
- Iceland and Peru each rank as the top-searched international destination in 3 states.
For domestic spring break travel, Florida dominates search interest nationwide. Other key domestic findings include:
- Key West, Florida, is the top-searched domestic spring break destination in 17 states and Washington, D.C. (18 total).
- Destin, Florida, ranks No. 1 in 15 states.
- Combined, Key West and Destin account for 33 of the top domestic results across the 50 states and Washington, D.C.
- Overall, Florida destinations make up 37 of the 51 top domestic search results.
The data also reveals how search interest differs between states when multiple in-state destinations are considered. For example, Orlando ranks as Florida’s top-searched domestic destination, beating Florida beach destinations included in the study. In Texas, Galveston leads search interest over South Padre Island and Port Aransas, while Myrtle Beach outranks Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. And Gulf Shores ranks above Orange Beach in Alabama.
Find more results and insights by visiting the complete study online.
Study Methodology
Upgraded Points first built a keyword list of popular locations using reputable travel publishers and industry sources, including but not limited to, U.S. News Travel, AAA, Vrbo, and Tripadvisor. Then, the team analyzed Google Trends U.S. search interest from January 2025 through January 2026 using “Interest by subregion” to compare relative popularity within each state.
The scores are indexed and normalized on a scale of 0 to 100 and do not represent absolute search volume. Each state’s top-searched destination or resort was determined by the term with the highest relative indexed interest during the study period.
For this study, “international” destinations were defined as locations outside the 50 U.S. states (including Puerto Rico), while “domestic” destinations include locations within the 50 U.S. states. Montana was excluded from the domestic resort analysis due to insufficient search volume.
About Upgraded Points LLC
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Upgraded Points is a travel company that helps to demystify the complex world of travel and credit cards. Launched in 2016 by Alex Miller, Upgraded Points uses targeted research efforts and in-depth studies to help travelers maximize their travel, points, and experiences. Learn more at: www.UpgradedPoints.com.
Media Contact:
Alex Miller, Founder
1-214-646-8866
408723@email4pr.com
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SOURCE Upgraded Points
