People We Meet on Vacation release date, rating, trailer, and more

Even though it feels like we have been waiting ages, one of the most highly anticipated Netflix movies will be here before we know it! The streaming service has been hard at work making their adaptation of Emily Henry's best-selling novel People We Meet on Vacation just right, and with the release around the corner, we have learned pretty much everything fans need to know!

The movie centers on long-time best friends Poppy and Alex, who are mismatched in almost every way possible but manage to make their relationship work. Since Poppy and Alex live in different states, the pair meet every summer to take a vacation together. However, when the duo feel the tension those around them have noticed for, well, ever, their relationship reaches a breaking point.

If you have already read the book, then you know all of the delightful stories that have yet to unfold onscreen from Poppy and Alex's various travels, but we're not going to give away the ending of the romantic comedy. Instead, we're going to share what fans need to know before the movie makes its streaming debut on Netflix in January 2026, including the rating, cast, trailer, and more!

When does People We Meet on Vacation premiere on Netflix?

Netflix releases People We Meet on Vacation on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026 as what will likely be the first big original movie release on the streamer of the year. While the movie definitely has summer vibes and most fans would prefer that the movie premiered sometime in the summer or fall of 2025, the movie will kick off 2026 with a bang. That give us plenty of time for a reread!

As with most of Netflix's new releases, the movie will begin streaming at 3 a.m. ET, which is 12 a.m. PT. Considering how long of a wait it's been since the movie was announced in the fall of 2024, there will be some fans tuning in the second the movie begins streaming. But the movie is the perfect title to save for a weekend movie night with all of your friends or just by yourself.

What is People We Meet on Vacation rated?

According to the rating featured at the end of Netflix's teaser trailer, People We Meet on Vacation has earned a rating of PG-13 for sexual content, drug use, nudity, and brief strong language. Although there were surely fans keeping their fingers crossed for an R-rating, specifically for THAT spicy scene (no spoilers!), the more mild rating will make the movie more accessible to a wider audience. And based on the explanation for the rating, we're not missing out on anything.

Who plays Poppy and Alex in the People We Meet on Vacation movie?

By now, devout fans of Emily Henry's book know that Emily Bader plays Poppy Wright and Tom Blyth plays Alex Nilsen in the People We Meet on Vacation movie. Bader's likely best known for her roles in My Lady Jane, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin, and Fresh Kills. Blyth previously starred in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and Billy the Kid.

In addition to Bader and Blyth starring in the film's lead roles, People We Meet on Vacation's cast also includes Sarah Catherine Hook (The White Lotus), Jameela Jamil (The Good Place), Lucien Laviscount (Emily in Paris), Lukas Gage (The White Lotus), Miles Heizer (13 Reasons Why), Alice Lee (Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist), Tommy Do, Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), and Molly Shannon (The Other Two).

Jamil is expected to play Poppy's boss Swapna Bakshi-Highsmith, while the other characters will likely play family members, including Poppy and Alex's parents and siblings, and possible other love interests. As of September 2025, Netflix hasn't revealed character names for most of the supporting cast members, but we'll be sure to share once we learn who's playing who.

Is there a People We Meet on Vacation trailer?

Yes, Netflix has released a teaser trailer for People We Meet on Vacation. The streamer dropped the nearly one minute and a half teaser trailer on Sept. 30 and gave fans the best first look at Bader and Blyth's chemistry as Poppy and Alex yet. This was the first time that we have seen official extended clips from the movie, and they certainly did not disappoint at all!

The teaser opens with Poppy singing to the music playing in her headphones while waiting for her suitcase at baggage claim. When she turns around, Alex is waiting for her. The remainder of the teaser features glimpses at the pair's trips, including a particularly highly anticipated one in New Orleans and a destination wedding in Spain, which was Palm Springs in the book.

In one particular clip in the teaser trailer, two of the people Poppy and Alex meet on vacation ask if they are "a thing," but they both vehemently insist they're "just friends" and "platonic travel companions." But that final shot of Alex watching Poppy walk into a restaurant suggests differently. Before the movie drops, Netflix will release a full trailer. Check out the teaser below!