Soaring travel costs forcing some Americans to change summer vacation plans, survey says
FILE - People cool off in the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla's Windansea Beach on a hot summer day on June 29, 2023 in San Diego, California. San Diego is a top destination for summer vacations. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
As gas prices remain stubbornly high, more Americans are adjusting their summer travel plans to fit their budgets.
A recent survey from LendingTree of 2,000 U.S. consumers asked whether they’d be taking fewer trips, choosing closer destinations or just canceling travel plans altogether.
Dig deeper:
More than half (75%) of Americans said the cost of fuel and airfare will force them to change their summer travel plans this year.
More than a third (37%) of people surveyed said they would not be traveling at all between May and September, which are considered peak summer travel months, according to LendingTree.
Of the small percentage of people who have plans to travel this summer, a whopping 84% are concerned about affording their ideal trip.
To better accommodate their budgets, many travelers plan to take trips earlier, hoping to avoid any potential travel cost increases. Others plan to cut back on spending during their trip or just do a staycation.
Top vacation destinations for summer 2026
Participants in the survey who planned to travel appear to be staying stateside or attending a concert or music festival rather than travel abroad.
Big picture view:
Despite a possible Iran peace deal on the horizon, the cost of gas and airfare has strained consumers’ wallets.
To respond to the increased price of fuel, many U.S. airlines have raised prices on add-on fees such as baggage.
What’s more, a recent report from the federal government indicates the wait for decreased gas prices could be longer than many people may have anticipated.
In fact, prices may not fall back to pre-war levels before the end of next year.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a LendingTree news release based on an online survey that was conducted from May 4 to 6, 2026. Two-thousand U.S. consumers ages 18–80 participated. Previous reporting by LiveNOW from FOX also contributed to this report. This story was reported from San Jose.