Destination unknown: the exciting ins and outs of mystery travel

For every traveler that relishes spending months plotting their perfect vacation, there is another wanderer who would rather show up at the airport after having let someone else do the planning. Book yourself a mystery trip if you fall in the latter category. Your entire itinerary will be chosen for you, and the destination remains an enigma until the very last of last minutes.

How does a mystery trip work?

First, travelers decide their budget and what kind of trip they want: a cruise, an overseas adventure, a road trip closer to home. Then, they find either an already planned trip with a secret agenda, like a mystery cruise, or a company that will build an itinerary around their interests and preferences. After a trip is finalized and departure day inches closer, travelers typically receive a weather forecast and packing list — then learn where they are going in an "Instagram-worthy moment of ripping open an envelope," said AARP.

What kinds of mystery trips are there?

Mystery trips were "once a niche option" that only a "handful of travel agencies" offered, Thrillist said. Today, more companies are playing along. In 2024, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) launched its Destination Unknown flight for loyalty members, with tickets selling out in "minutes," and Windstar Mystery Cruise's inaugural run this spring was so popular a 2026 cruise was quickly announced. If not knowing where you are going is "a bit too anxiety-inducing," you can book a flight through Lufthansa to a "surprise locale" and then find out the destination once you pay.

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For the most recent SAS flight, participants knew they were leaving from Copenhagen and going somewhere in Europe's Schengen Area but had to wait until they landed at their surprise destination to find out they were spending the weekend in Seville, Spain. On the Windstar Mystery Cruise out of Athens, passengers were given clues to figure out the ports of call, and when the captain revealed the destination "cheers erupted among the passengers," said Afar. Bad weather during a 2024 cruise through French Polynesia sparked the idea for Windstar's mystery cruise: When the ship had to chart a new course due to cyclones, passengers told the crew they "felt as if they were on a mystery cruise — and they loved it."

Companies like Pack Up + Go and Guess Where Trips create itineraries of varied lengths. Those gingerly dipping their toes into mystery travel might want a one-day trip, while repeat clients may be ready for a three-week journey. Packages usually include transportation, accommodations, excursions and reservations, along with recommendations on things to do and see that are not on the official itinerary. For the truly adventurous, there are options like Black Tomato's Get Lost trips, which drop travelers off in remote, sometimes unchartered territory. After you pick a terrain, such as polar or jungle, Black Tomato puts together a trip like "trekking in Borneo or navigating the desert in Jordan," said AARP. All paperwork is done and visas secured ahead, and at the final destination, participants are given gear, a satellite phone for emergencies and survival-skills training.

Who should book a mystery trip?

These adventures are, of course, not for everyone. You need to be OK with someone else planning your vacation, and the possibility that you might end up somewhere you have already been or a place you are not interested in visiting. A mystery trip works best for those seeking "more spontaneity and less stress" in their travels, said AARP, or a busy person who does not have time to sit down and do vacation research and planning.