Trip.com data reveals inbound transatlantic bookings from US to Europe has soared by almost 250%.  Rich Sun, Trip.com group’s general manager for the Americas, said: “Transatlantic travel is well and truly back and London is clearly the most popular destination once again for US travellers. Analysis of Trip.com’s latest data showed a significant surge in demand for travel, not only to the UK but also to other leading European capitals, with Paris and Madrid proving almost equally as popular.”

“The massive 246% rise in inbound transatlantic bookings from the US to Europe is evidence, if any were needed, that consumer confidence has once again returned to the market. We believe the increased value of the strong US dollar versus the weaker euro and fall in the value of Pound Sterling means that US travellers have so much more buying power in Europe, which has helped to mark the continent’s return once more as a major destination for the US market.”

Data analysis from its booking sites shows that Flight bookings from the USA to key European countries were up 246% in the first half of 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. Average booking values outbound from the US to Europe have increased by more than a third (37%).

The rise revealed by the global travel service provider was even higher than expected, as US travellers appeared to take advantage of weaker European currencies compared to the strong dollar, prompting even more US consumers to get bitten by the travel bug. Trip.com recorded a massive 678% surge in searches for US to UK flights, during the first half of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021.

Meanwhile, other European countries saw a similar rise in US consumer interest, with a 614% increase in flight searches from the US to Spain, 577% increase to Italy and 491% increase to France. Flight bookings from the US to European countries, such as the UK, Spain, Italy, France and Germany, soared by 246% in the first half of 2022, compared to the same period in 2021. Data showed that between January and July 2022, the most popular European country for US departing flights was the United Kingdom.

Spain was the second most popular country for travellers to Europe from the US, followed in turn by France, Italy and Germany. In terms of cities, analysis highlighted London and Paris were the top European destinations for Americans with the highly-competitive New York to London route remaining the most popular for US travellers, followed by Los Angeles to Paris, then Los Angeles to London.