ShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleMegan BonarBBC ScotlandRhona PatonRhona and Riley on a day trip to San Remo in ItalyWhen Riley and his mum Rhona Paton board a plane to Norway at the weekend, it will be his 40th flight - an impressive milestone given he is just six years old.
The mother and son from near Glasgow are part of a growing community of people who travel abroad and return the very same day.
Rhona told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast she has "lost count" of how many day trips they have taken, but they have visited countries such as France, Italy, Switzerland and Latvia.
She says she is teaching her son to value "real experiences" over possessions and takes measures to offset the carbon footprint of the hobby.
"We loved going to the theme park in Denmark, but we equally loved sampling all the food in Italy," she said.
"A particular memory for me is watching Riley dance around a Christmas tree at a market in Latvia.
"You feel like you've had a holiday, packed lots in - without the price tag."
Rhona said the pair don't pick trips solely on cost, but it is an important factor.
A recent trip to a theme park in Copenhagen cost less than a trip to somewhere similar in the UK, she told the programme.
Rhona and Riley have been on three trips so far in 2026, and are planning to do one per month for the rest of the year.
The pair have bagged bargains such as return flights to Belfast for just £45 and paid just £80 to go to Italy and back.
Rhona says her general rule is not to pay over £100 each for flights.
One of their biggest adventures was visiting three countries - France, Italy and Monaco - in 24 hours. The trip did require an overnight stay, but it cost them just £110.
Rhona is helping to grow a community of people travelling this way from Scotland, mainly to countries in Europe.
Last year she started a social media group which shares hints and tips for extreme day travellers in Scotland. It has grown to over 30,000 members.
They are now planning group day trips for solo travellers who are unable to go by themselves.
However, extreme day trips have drawn criticism over their environmental impact.
Flying is responsible for 2.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 8% of UK emissions.
These gases warm the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change.
Rhona acknowledges the environmental impact of the trend, but says she takes steps like eating a pescetarian diet and using a green energy tariff to offset the impact.
According to travel booking site, Kayak nearly 66% of UK travellers plan to take several shorter trips in 2026.
Analysis of searches for same-day return international flights shows increases from a number of UK airports year-on-year.
From Scotland, searches have increased by +16% from Edinburgh and +15% from Glasgow compared with the same period last year.
