Despite rising travel costs, Americans are determined to hit the roads and skies for summer vacations.
“People are gritting their teeth and making purchases because summer is coming and they want to travel,” said Lindsey Roeschke, a travel and hospitality analyst at Morning Consult. “They’re willing to forego spring break trips to save money for summer vacations.”
The Consumer Price Index reflects the inflationary trend, with April showing a 1% increase in lodging away from home, a 5.2% rise in gasoline prices, a 0.3% hike in dining out costs, and a 4.1% jump in airline ticket prices. These inflation rates are significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Travelers are not just vacationing more but also extending their trips by an extra day compared to pre-COVID times, according to a Mastercard survey. This trend is particularly notable among Gen-Z and Millennials, who travel more frequently than older generations.
“Travel is a crucial part of identity and leisure for younger generations, especially Millennials and Gen Z,” Roeschke said. “Social media exposure to travel inspires many to explore.”
International travel for major events is also on the rise, with Americans attending the European Championship in Munich, the Summer Olympics in Paris, and Taylor Swift concerts across Europe.
“Events inspire people to travel,” Roeschke noted. “For concerts, many find it cheaper to fly abroad and buy tickets.”
Travelers are finding ways to mitigate high costs. Jamie Lam, a college student from California living in Dallas, closely monitors flight and gasoline prices to minimize expenses. She often finds the best deals on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and uses Google Flights to track prices and secure refunds if prices drop.
Some Americans are opting for international destinations to find better deals. Japan has become popular due to affordable accommodations and food, alongside the yen’s lowest value since 1990.
Anh Tran, 24, traveled to Japan in April motivated by a desire to learn about other cultures. She was pleasantly surprised by the low cost of food and non-essential goods.
“Traveling to Japan is expensive initially,” Tran said. “But once there, you can spend as little as $20 a day. Hotel, flight, and public transportation are the priciest, but overall, Japan is more affordable than home.”