March 1st is National Plan a Solo Vacation Day, but travelers need no dedicated day to inspire what is quickly becoming one of the most industry-impacting trends in travel. Data compiled by Kayak.com shows that a whopping 50% of American travelers plan to take a solo trip this year, with Google searches for “solo travel” skyrocketing 223% in the past decade alone.

Diving into solo travel can feel intimidating — even as a travel journalist who has traveled solo for over a decade, I still feel it sometimes. However, as the landscape shifts from traveling accompanied to going it alone, some of the biggest brands in aviation and hospitality are opening new avenues designed to make the solo travel experience a breeze.

Trends in Travel

Solo travel is a trend that has been growing slowly but steadily for years, but increased travel among the youngest generations has sent it skyrocketing in popularity.

Recent data compiled by United Airlines shows that Gen Z travelers are the most likely to embrace solo travel, with approximately 70% flying solo. Millennials follow suit, with 65% of the cohort embracing the solo travel experience, as do 57% of travelers of the Baby Boomer generation.

With the spark to travel solo often comes the daring to explore new destinations. Though there’s nothing like a close-to-home trip, data from United reveals that some of the most popular spots for solo travelers tend to be more far-flung, including Brazil, China, and Korea, for the intrepid traveler not letting the lack of a travel companion get in the way of crossing off a bucket list destination.

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Routes and Repositioning

United Airlines reaches far beyond compiling data on the trend, opening new doors — and routes — to an enhanced solo travel experience. One route, in particular, feels fatefully designed for the solo traveler — a new daily flight connecting United’s Houston hub to Medellin, Colombia, which I was able to experience last month.

Whereas coastal Cartagena charms and the capital city of Bogotá caters to the business traveler, the Medellín route speaks directly to the solo explorers. Hidden among rich, rugged mountainsides hiding coffee farms and colonial-era villages, Medellín emerges as arguably the biggest hub for remote work and the growing “digital nomad” lifestyle in Latin America. Buzzing with expats and long-term travelers, Medellín is an easy place to connect with others, with a local population that emanates immense excitement at a new chapter in its city’s history.

More than just an additional flight offered by “the world’s largest airline,” United’s Houston-Medellín route provides a gateway to Colombia’s “city of eternal spring” from the West Coast and heartland of the United States. Prior to the introduction of the new route at the end of 2024, the city was only connected to the U.S. via East Coast hubs like Miami.

The new flight is so popular that even just a few months after its debut, it’s already selling out. When I boarded the flight on my own solo trip to Medellín, several of my fellow passengers expressed having already flown the route, in some cases multiple times, making solo travel to this trending destination even more hassle-free.

When they disembark, visitors can explore coffee plantations like Capilla del Rosario, tour revived neighborhoods like Comuna 13 and the newer Constelaciones project in Comuna 3, and even try new experiences like vintage car tours with local tour operators through the city center and hillsides.

Tools for Travelers

New flight connections to hotspots for solo travel alone aren’t the only way United is positioning itself to be a top choice for travelers taking to the skies alone. Tools to smooth the planning and preparation process from start to finish help, too. United’s digital magazine Hemispheres recently launched a new AI-powered trip-planning tool featuring every destination the airline offers covers.

While the youngest generation of travelers might be most familiar with AI, this is a tool anyone can use. A simple search pulls up data-backed recommendations for where to visit as a solo traveler, jump-starting the process of planning a solo trip. For those already planning their experience with a destination in mind, recommendations for where to eat, where to stay, what to do, and bucket list experiences help bring together an itinerary.

Another new feature includes seemless AirTag integration through the United app. Customers can securely share the location of AirTag or Find My accessories with United customer service agents for faster bag tracking.

Points-counting travelers will also find it easy to earn miles through the free-to-join MileagePlus program and book international tickets starting at just 20,000 miles. The Money+Miles feature allows members to apply as little as 1,000 miles toward their journey.

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Plan a Solo Trip

All the planning and preparation in the world and the ease of solo travel still require a leap of faith. Seasoned solo travelers among United employees have recommendations for that. One such employee recommended soaking it all in and using the experience to reflect on life and grow as a person.

For the record number of travelers taking to the skies solo, it’s now easier than ever to get the planning out of the way and on to the fun.