LONDON, July 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forget souvenirs, 2026 is all about chasing the cosmos. New data from KAYAK shows that as the solar eclipse sweeps across Greenland, Iceland and Northern Spain on the 12th August, UK travellers are searching for flights to be under its path. This will be the first time since 1999 that solar eclipse totality has been visible from mainland Europe.
According to KAYAK's What The Future Report 2026, 34% of travellers say awe-inspiring experiences are a top priority this year, while 55% say natural wonders will actively guide where they go on holiday.
Nowhere has that appetite been more apparent than in flight search data for destinations along the eclipse's path of totality. Comparing year-over-year flight searches for travel between 8th and 16th August 2026 and 2025, searches for flights to Reykjavik more than doubled, while the Cantabrian Coast covering Coruna, Bilbao, Oviedo and Santander have risen 201%.
Reykjavik comes out as the standout option for rare astronomical moments, with it being the first Total Solar Eclipse visible from the destination since 1433.
FLIGHT SEARCHES FOR BEST DESTINATIONS TO VIEW THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE*
| Destination | % change in flight searches YoY (August 2025 to 2026) |
| Cantabrian Coast, Spain | + 201% |
| Reykjavik, Iceland | + 102% |
| Valencia, Spain | + 82% |
| Madrid, Spain | + 42% |
| Palma de Mallorca, Spain | + 20% |
| Porto, Portugal | + 14% |
| Barcelona, Spain | + 6% |
There is also good news for last-minute eclipse chasers: average flight prices to several viewing destinations have fallen year over year. Barcelona, where travellers can witness 99.9% of the eclipse, saw the largest drop, with average fares down 15% to £111. Palma de Mallorca followed, with fares down 13% to £135, while Porto and Valencia both posted 9% declines.
About KAYAK
KAYAK, part of Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), is a leading travel search engine. With billions of queries across our platforms, we help people find their perfect flight, stay, rental car and vacation package. Trusted by millions of travellers, the KAYAK app makes travel planning seamless on iOS and Android, and we also support business travellers with our corporate travel solution.
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