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Summer travel could look slightly less busy this year. While overall CivicScience data show more than three-fourths (76%) of U.S. adults have some sort of summer travel plans this year, that figure is down six percentage points from the 82% seen in 2023.
New CivicScience data suggest rising prices and concerns about tariffs are putting pressure on Americans with upcoming vacation plans. Among those who initially intended to travel this spring and/or summer, more than half (55%) say rising prices and tariff worries have forced them to change their plans in some way. Nearly 3 in 10 have either canceled the plans they had or decided against traveling altogether, while one-quarter are scaling back by shortening their stays or opting for more budget-friendly destinations.
Lower—and middle-income households and Democrats are especially likely to say they’ve had to adjust, while Republicans are the least likely. Still, even 45% of those making $150K+ report adjusting their upcoming travel plans as well.Â
Use this Data: CivicScience clients use real-time data like this to spot segments that may be driving or breaking with trends, allowing them to remain agile and spot growth opportunities in an uncertain market.
For those who will be traveling over the summer specifically, how they plan to pay for those trips looks different compared to last summer. Notably, this year’s batch of summer travelers is less likely to pay for their travel via their personal savings or credit cards. Instead, they are slightly more likely to utilize Buy Now, Pay Later services or loans from a financial institution. This comes at a time when Americans have grown slightly more comfortable with their level of debt and are showing at least some openness to using BNPL for things like food and grocery delivery.
Take our Poll: Have you booked any summer travel plans yet?
Additionally, to help manage costs, 61% of Americans say they are ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ likely to opt for less convenient or comfortable options to stay within budget when booking their travel (excluding those unsure). Gen Z adults (18–29) are the most willing to make those trade-offs, with 76% open to making sacrifices compared to 50% of Baby Boomers (65+).
This percentage ticks up to 62% among those who have plans to travel this spring and summer. The data also suggests that this trend might not be restricted to immediate travel, as more than half (55%) of those who are NOT planning to travel this spring or summer say they’re likely to make sacrifices for comfort to stay within their travel budget.
Let us Know: Have you cut back on travel due to recent economic challenges?
While Summer travel is still in play for many Americans, tariff-driven headwinds point to a more measured, value-focused approach in the upcoming travel season and perhaps beyond. Stay tuned for our next travel study, where we’ll unpack the specifics of American travel plans amid the current climate of economic uncertainty.
