Summer travel slump? Americans stay home as costs climb

(Photo by Global Residence Index via Unsplash)

Four in 10 Americans will not be taking a single trip this summer — with cost as the biggest reason why.

The survey of 5,000 Americans, split evenly by state and generation, looked at respondents’ 2026 travel plans, and it revealed 37% will not be traveling this summer.

For these respondents, the majority are unable to afford the cost of a trip (52%), while others said they’re working to save money (25%) or pay off debt (22%).

A fifth (21%) of those not taking a vacation this summer also highlighted concerns about the rising costs of travel.

Commissioned by Current and conducted by Talker Research, the survey also looked at those who are planning to travel, and how affordability is affecting their plans.

Respondents who traveled last summer and who are planning to travel this summer (52%) were asked about how their upcoming trips will differ from those in 2025.

They’re planning to visit different types of destinations (32%) — and they’re trying to be smart with their finances, by being more budget-conscious this summer (31%) and traveling to more affordable destinations (25%).

Summer travelers are also looking to do more day trips or adventures within their own city or state (22%) and will be traveling for shorter lengths of time (22%).

This ties in well with the top “summer travel trends” predicted for 2026. Respondents believe the most popular trends will be staycations (32%), “quietcations” (30%) and “micro-breaks” (30%).

“The travel trends we’re seeing for summer reflect just how practical and realistic Americans are with their finances,” said Erin Bruehl, VP of Communications, Current. “Instead of giving up on travel, they are being smarter about it. As costs rise, staycations, micro-breaks and quietcations are all ways people are making summer travel more affordable, and having the right financial tools to help every dollar go further and provide clear insights into their spending then become even more important.”

(Talker Research)

While finances are having a major impact on respondents’ trips, the survey also explored the ways that “social pressure” is changing how Americans travel — with results showing that some travelers are going specifically to talk about their trip, versus for the enjoyment of the experience.

Results revealed that almost a fifth (17%) of respondents have traveled to a destination exclusively so they could tell their loved ones that they’d visited it.

Younger respondents were more likely to have taken a trip just to brag about the destination — 24% of Gen Z have done this, compared to 21% of millennials, 14% of Gen Xers and 7% of baby boomers surveyed.

Respondents highlighted feelings of social pressure both to be well-traveled (42%) and to spend money while traveling (49%).

Both of these “pressures” are felt more strongly by younger generations. Sixty percent of Gen Z and 52% of millennials feel pressure to be well-traveled (vs. 34% of Gen X and 24% of baby boomers).

And 62% of Gen Z — alongside 58% of millennials — feel the need to spend money on trips (vs. 44% of Gen X and 30% of baby boomers).

But older generations still aren’t immune, as Gen X is most likely to have gone into debt for travel (23%).

“Our research reflects what so many Americans are already living. Costs are increasing, yet the societal pressure to travel remains very real,” said Bruehl. “What stands out is how resourceful Americans are being in balancing the desire to travel with the realities of their budgets. They’re shortening trips, staying closer to home and searching for more affordable options that will still allow them to have experiences that matter but keep their finances on solid ground.”

TOP TRAVEL TRENDS PREDICTED FOR SUMMER 2026

• Staycations, staying within your city or state for a more casual trip (and returning home to sleep) — 32%
• “Quietcations,” vacations where you can unplug and recharge in a calm environment — 30%
• “Micro-breaks” / “micro-cations,” short trips (like a long weekend) for a mini-vacation — 30%
• “City-cation,” staying at a hotel (or otherwise out of your own house) in a nearby city — 21%
• Pet-friendly travel — traveling in a way, and to locations, where pets are welcome — 20%
• “Destination dupes,” ex., finding a white sand beach close to home versus traveling abroad — 18%
• “Bae-cations,” traveling with a romantic partner for the first time — 14%
• “Passion-cations,” vacations planned entirely around a personal passion (e.g., a pottery workshop in India or sushi-making in Tokyo) — 13%
• “Decision-detox,” a pre-arranged trip with no choices / logistics to think about after arriving — 13%
• Bookbound, trips inspired by literature and books (e.g., visiting the homes of famous authors, literary landscapes, etc.) — 8%

WHICH STATES ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE PLANNING SUMMER VACATIONS?

1. Illinois — 77%
2. Texas — 74%
3. New Jersey — 73%
4. Massachusetts — 72%
5. Wisconsin — 71%
6. Georgia, New Mexico (tied) — 70%
7. New York, Virginia (tied) — 69%
8. Alaska, Idaho, Pennsylvania (tied) — 68%
9. California, Colorado, Utah (tied) — 67%
10. Michigan, Nebraska, Tennessee (tied) — 66%
11. Maryland, South Carolina (tied) — 65%
12. Delaware, Nevada, West Virginia (tied) — 64%
13. Louisiana, North Dakota, Washington (tied) — 63%
14. Missouri, Montana, Rhode Island (tied) — 62%
15. Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota (tied) — 61%
16. Maine, Minnesota (tied) — 60%
17. Connecticut, Iowa (tied)— 59%
18. Indiana, Kansas, Oregon, Vermont, Wyoming (tied) — 58%
19. Arizona — 57%
20. Hawaii — 55%
21. Kentucky, New Hampshire (tied) — 54%
22. Oklahoma — 53%
23. Mississippi — 48%
24. Arkansas — 47%

Research methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 5,000 Americans (split evenly by state and generation) who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Current and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between March 13–25, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.