While most (69%) have never been impacted by severe weather during travel, 31% have had to change their plans because of it. Among those, 15% could modify their trips without extra cost thanks to flexible booking, 11% had to pay fees, and 5% couldn’t change plans due to strict policies. This highlights the growing importance of flexible bookings to manage unpredictable weather.

Younger travellers are more affected, half of those aged 18-24 have changed or considered changing travel plans due to weather, compared to just 9% of those over 65.

This changing reality is shaping how Portuguese people plan their trips. According to eDreams data, nearly a third (29%) now carefully plan their holidays around weather forecasts, sometimes avoiding peak seasons. Additionally, 26% prefer traveling during off-peak times to escape extreme heat, and 17% place more importance on travel insurance or flexible cancellation policies.

When faced with potential extreme weather at their destination, most Portuguese (75%) would be willing to change their plans. Of these, 40% would pay to reschedule, 35% would only change if it’s free or included, and just 8% would stick to their original plans despite bad weather forecasts.

Due to extreme heat concerns, more Portuguese travellers are choosing destinations with milder summer temperatures, like Rouen (+163%), Oviedo (+49%), Bilbao (+30%), and Nantes (+27%). This reflects the “coolcation” trend – vacations in places with more comfortable temperatures as an alternative to intense summer heat. This shows weather is becoming key in holiday planning.