These are the 3 trendiest Latin American destinations for 2026

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Expedia.com just revealed some insightful nuggets that are sure to blow your mind.

If you had to guess where travelers in Latin America go, you might nail the countries on the head, but the cities they explore are full of mystery.

Luckily for you, we’re a seasoned group of travelers here at Travel Off Path, so we’re experts on these 3 rising destinations.

Full of vibrant culture, astonishing nature and unparalleled cuisine in their own right, some of Latin America’s most underrated getaways are finally getting their due, even in the shadow of popular cities like Mexico City for example.

Without further ado, these are Latin America’s three trendiest destinations for 2026, according to the latest data from Expedia:

1) Toluca: the city that crawls out of the shadow of Mexico City 🇲🇽

If you thought time capsule cities like Puebla and Tepoztlan were the only worthwhile trips close to Mexico City, you missed Toluca.

That image has long been considered Mexico City’s secondary airport, but is now starting to change and is now seen more as an underrated day trip option as tourists tend not to make it past the airport. trajineras of the pyramids of Xochimilco or Teotihuacan.

But even that will now change too, with the newly launched train Serving Mexico City and Toluca in just 45 minutes – something that would be impossible if you were navigating the constant traffic congestion.

Travelers can still fly to Toluca (TLC) and reach Mexico City quite easily, but there are no direct flights from the US

Once here you’ll find a crowd-free cityscape anchored by a dazzling cathedral, colorful, festive streets, incredible food you’d expect south of the border, and beautiful mountain backdrops (without the haze of its gargantuan neighbor).

According to Expedia’s latest Air Hacks report, Toluca sees a 225% increase in traveler interest.

2) Minas Gerais: more travelers exploring Brazil beyond Rio 🇧🇷

Ever heard of Minas Gerais?

Chances are you haven’t. Minas Gerais (also often shortened to “Minas”) is the vast state in Brazil’s interior that has become all the rage.

Although Expedia claims the region is just starting to take off, this region caught my attention years ago when I explored the sprawling city Belo Horizonte and the UNESCO-protected city Ouro Preto off my endless travel wish list – and it was truly one of the most fun solo trips in recent memory.

One sip of my first caipirinha immediately replaced my love for margaritas, and lots of fresh fruit that I honestly can’t pronounce also replaced my love for acai bowls, the one Brazilian staple that is a regular part of my diet.

Anthony Bourdain also helped put Minas on the map on an episode of Parts Unknown, which attracted him because of the legend that it was the birthplace of traditional Brazilian cuisine.

There is no better place to experience that than Mercado Centrala maze of food stalls and various vendors.

Americans can avoid remote layovers by flying nonstop from Orlando (MCO) via Azul Airlines.

According to Expedia’s latest Air Hacks report, Minas Gerais sees an 85% increase in traveler interest.

3) Guatemala: endless colonial charm and natural wonders 🇬🇹

Guatemala somehow remains one of Latin America’s most unsung holiday destinations, despite neighboring Mexico.

Heck, they even have Caribbean beaches where there are no crowds to be seen!

The truth is, most travelers visit Guatemala for its overall affordability, hospitable locals, and boundless nature, where beautiful lakes are more common than coastline.

What may have deterred travelers from visiting is Guatemala City’s less-than-stellar reputation for safety, which pushed tourists to nearby colonial charmers like Antigua and natural wonders like Lake Atitlan.

That said, Guatemala seems to be getting its comeuppance and I can confirm that Antigua in particular is well worth a week’s stay as a base for nearby coffee farms, volcano hikes and nearby Mayan sites such as Iximch.e.

Of course, it helps that Guatemala is quite easy to get to. Flight connections claims out there 11 US cities with direct flights to Guatemala City (GUA).

According to Expedia’s latest Air Hacks report, Guatemala is seeing a 45% increase in traveler interest.

Sam Sears

Sam, our lead writer and San Diego-based journalist, has visited 36 countries and written more than 1,000 articles with an emphasis on sharing his own travel experiences and highlighting lesser-known gems.

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