Sleep pods on planes, cut-price business air fares and cheaper destinations are the latest trends as travellers look for more flexibility and value for money.
With the cost of living crisis impacting on the travel industry this year, operators are looking at new ways of attracting business. 
A number of airlines are introducing special pods, pictured, for fliers to hire mid-journey so they can get some valuable shut-eye on long-haul routes.
Leading the way is Air New Zealand, which plans to give travellers the opportunity to ‘rent out’ a sleep pod for a four-hour chunk of their flight – at an additional cost, of course.
Meanwhile, an increasing number of airlines are offering more flexibility with scaled-down ‘business light’ tickets.
These provide corporate travellers with a discount – provided they’re happy to accept some scaled-back perks.
According to research by airport parking company APH (Airport Parking & Hotels), these will no longer include complimentary airport lounge access.
Research by British Airways also highlights this year’s trend for travellers to take advantage of package holidays in new destinations. 
The traditionally less busy months of May and June are becoming popular as travellers search for a bargain and steer away from the traditional summer trip.
In fact, searches for package holidays in those months is now double the level for trips in July and August.
The BA report, based on interviews with 2,674 people during March, also reveals that, now more than ever, holidaymakers are looking to swap top destinations for cheaper alternatives.
The number of holidaymakers looking to start their summer break earlier looks set to continue into next year, according to their report, with 31% saying they would opt for lesser-known alternative locations.
The choice of destinations is also being influenced by TV and screen locations – nearly 80% said they had been inspired to visit a location from a movie or TV show.
Money-savvy travellers are also on the look-out for ‘destination swaps’ – alternatives to more obvious holiday hotspots such as the Maldives and Dubai.
The airline’s analysis of searches on its website reveals that the Caribbean islands of St Kitts, pictured above, and Jamaica – together with Tokyo and Malta – are proving more popular than ever.
Searches for package holidays on St Kitts have increased by 97%, trips to Jamaica by 73% and Malta, by 58%.
The British Airways report showed as well that searches to all-year-round travel destinations such as Gran Canaria and Lanzarote were up 57% and 31% respectively.
Price is also key, with 58% of holidaymakers interested in paying for a holiday by interest-free instalments, given the opportunity.
British Airways Holidays managing director Claire Bentley said: “I’ve been fascinated to see the latest external factors influencing how people book their holidays, and how behaviours have modified since our 2023 report.”
Jenny Southan, editor and founder-CEO of Globetrender - the travel trend forecasting agency and online magazine - who wrote the report, said: “The two main macro forces governing holiday planning in 2024 are modern culture and money management.
“Certain locations benefit from after appearing in TV shows and movies, for example, and the rise of ‘finfluencers’ [financial influencers] who are inspiring consumers to adopt savvy spending strategies, such as paying in interest-free instalments for trips and booking off-season.
“Travellers are also becoming more curious, seeking out lesser-known destinations to visit – in some cases this is being propelled by viral TikTok content that sparks interest in a place they have never heard off.”
However, increasing pressures of work are having an impact, with 42% of working adults admitting to not taking their full annual leave allocation.
Furthermore, 37% revealed that they had felt stressed about work while on holiday.
