Below is a list of the most popular travel stocks. As investors, we should always be looking ahead to the future. Which trends can we foresee happening? What sectors or industries are ready to rise higher?
Predicting these events before they happen is how great investors separate themselves from the good ones.
The travel industry was hammered during the pandemic, with some stocks hitting multi-year lows. These companies directly depend on people traveling and will most likely be the first stocks to rebound when restrictions are lifted. I understand that many investors steer clear of cyclical sectors like travel.
These industries typically don’t provide the highest returns or exponential growth that other growth sectors do. But let’s say we know that travel will return to normal in a year. There is an excellent chance that these companies will give investors positive returns over that period.
Best Travel Stocks 2026
| Symbol | Name |
|---|---|
| ABNB | Airbnb |
| BA | Boeing |
| CCL | Carnival Corp |
| DUOL | Duolingo |
| MA | Mastercard |
| LUV | Southwest Airlines |
| V | Visa |
| MAR | Marriott International |
| HLT | Hilton Worldwide |
| H | Hyatt Hotels |
| BKNG | Booking Holdings |
| EXPE | Expedia Group |
| DAL | Delta Air Lines |
| LIND | Lindblad Expeditions Holdings |
| SABR | Sabre Corporation |
Cruise Stocks
- Carnival Corp (NYSE: CCL)
- Norwegian Cruise Lines (NYSE: NCLH)
- Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL)
JETS ETF Performance (2026 YTD)
| Year | Performance | 2026 (YTD) | -9.7% |
|---|---|
| 2025 | +11.6% |
| 2024 | +33.2% |
| 2023 | +11.4% |
| 2022 | -19.0% |
Airline Stocks
Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV)
I like Southwest the most of all the domestic U.S. airlines that trade on the stock market. In my opinion, Southwest has always operated more efficiently than its other airline siblings.
It carries a lower level of debt and has a higher operating margin. Without going into details, Southwest has one of the lowest profitability thresholds per flight.
This means that even if a flight is not 100% booked, the company still turns a nice profit for each scheduled flight. Like cruise lines, domestic air travel has opened up faster than international air travel.
The U.S. has seen a rapid surge in domestic air travel numbers, which is largely anticipated to normalize by 2022. Southwest is a company that has a high upside from here and may even reintroduce its quarterly dividend as early as this September.
Boeing (NYSE: B.A.)
You can’t have flights without airplanes! A near-global duopoly exists between Boeing and Airbus (EPA: AIR), which trades on the Paris Stock Exchange. Talk about a company that has had a rough few years. Boeing has been mired in controversy surrounding its Boeing 737 Max airplanes, which have been involved in several crashes. The FAA even grounded all 737 Max planes until they conducted an investigation and forced Boeing to prove they could fly once again.
The good news for Boeing investors is that the company has seen many orders from airlines like Southwest Airlines and United Airlines (NASDAQ: UAL), among others. Airline companies are loading up on new planes and preparing themselves. Investors can do the same by loading up on shares of Boeing.
Hotel and Resort Stocks
Marriott (NASDAQ: MAR)
Marriott is the largest hotel chain in the world by the total number of available rooms. The stock hit rock bottom in 2020, as nearly all its locations saw a steep decline in business. Marriott took a major hit to its revenues and was widely affected by the closing of ancillary travel like business travel, corporate events, and weddings. The stock has already rebounded as countries like China have already exhibited a strong return to Marriott’s properties.
Other Travel Related Stocks
Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA)
As more countries purchase their vaccine doses, Moderna investors are eyeing this company as a long-term investment. No matter where you stand on the vaccine argument, they will play a big role in reopening global travel.
Even if the domestic laws don’t require a vaccine, other countries might have their laws for travelers. Moderna investors have to be ecstatic with the growth of the stock.
If booster shots and additional vaccines are required in the future, Moderna could see even more growth for its bottom line.
Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB)
If you are like me, you love staying in Airbnb when you travel. They are often centrally located in neighborhoods where locals frequent and can be much more affordable than a high-end hotel.
Language and Payment Methods
Duolingo (NASDAQ: DUOL)
Duolingo has some high-profile backers, including Google, and the app has previously won Apple’s App of the Year Award.
You can learn over 40 languages on the app, with over 500 million downloads from the Apple and Google stores, making it the most popular educational app. Currently,
Duolingo has over 40 million monthly active users and offers a premium version of its app for only $6.99. Full disclosure: I am a Duolingo user but not a shareholder. There is no better app for learning a new language, which you can do at a leisurely or faster pace.
Mastercard (NYSE: MA) and Visa (NYSE: V)
I am as big a fintech investing fan as there is, but nothing beats your reliable credit card when paying for a vacation.
Visa and Mastercard are the clear global leaders in credit cards. Both companies reported major losses over the past year from a lack of cross-border payments that usually accompany global travel.
Credit card transactions are about to go through the roof. Not only is extra stimulus money floating around for domestic shopping, but once travel opens up, people have been saving for nearly two years to spend on their vacations.
If you believe that travel and retail shopping are due for a surge, Visa and Mastercard are better stocks to add to your portfolio.
Travel stocks to buy aren’t just airlines and cruise companies. That means you’ve got great options. And the more options you have, the more trades you can place. Just remember not to trade over. Make sure you’re buying travel stocks with the best setups.
Please do not trade any of the securities on this travel stocks list unless you know how to trade.
