Overview
- Deloitte’s 2026 survey, published May 19, found only 45% of Americans plan a summer vacation with paid lodging, the lowest level in six years and driven chiefly by cost and inability to afford travel.
- Among the smaller group who will travel, planned spending on the longest trip rose about 17% year over year, with many travelers buying premium seats, better hotels, and longer or richer experiences.
- Expedia’s Unpack ’26 data shows demand shifting toward domestic, event-driven and multi-stop “hotel hopping” trips, with 63% of U.S. travelers planning domestic travel and spikes in searches for event host cities.
- Some international hotel markets are seeing sharp rate drops of as much as roughly 25–35%, creating value opportunities for price-sensitive travelers who choose to avoid crowded host cities.
- Younger travelers are taking more trips and using short-form video and generative AI to plan them, while lower-income households are disproportionately cutting paid travel and many consumers are booking closer to departure.