Affluent US travelers are abandoning Europe's peak summer season

New data from Enchanting Travels' State of Luxury Experiential Travel report reveals that peak-season European travel among U.S.-based guests dropped sharply from 47% of trips in 2023 to just 40% in 2025.

This decisive move away from the traditional European summer contrasts with broader leisure travel patterns, highlighting a growing trend of "intentional seasonality" at the upper end of the market.

Rather than battling the heat and congestion of July and August, luxury travelers are increasingly opting for shoulder-season trips to ensure a seamless, uncrowded, and highly accessible experience.

"We are seeing a clear shift toward 'intentional seasonality,'" said Parik Laxminarayan, CEO and co-founder of Enchanting Travels. "While the pull of iconic moments like Japan's cherry blossoms remains non-negotiable for many, there is a growing sophisticated traveler who views Europe's shoulder season not as a compromise, but as a strategic choice for deeper, crowd-free connection."

The report, which analyzed proprietary booking data from more than 10,000 guests, notes that time—rather than budget—is the primary constraint for this demographic.

Enchanting Travels