Americans Adjust Budgets Rather Than Cancel Travel Plans, MMGY Survey Finds

Travel Spending and Trip Expectations Rise

Americans expect to spend an average of $5,655 on leisure travel during the next 12 months, according to MMGY’s 2026 Portrait of American Travelers Fall Edition. The expected spending figure is higher than the amount reported in the organization’s summer survey.

Respondents also expect to take an average of 3.9 leisure trips in the coming year, compared with 3.5 trips in the summer edition of the survey.

The survey was based on interviews with 4,500 U.S. adults and examined leisure travel plans, spending expectations, destination choices and the use of technology in travel planning.

Travelers Make Cost-Saving Trade-Offs

More than one-third of respondents, or 35%, said they are traveling during off-peak periods to manage costs. Another 32% said they are reducing spending in other areas of their lives to preserve their travel budgets.

Domestic travel is also a cost-management strategy. Nearly two-thirds of travelers, or 64%, said lower costs were a reason for choosing destinations within the United States.

Respondents also associated value with spending time with family and friends, creating memories and staying in quality accommodations.

Age and Income Gaps Shape Travel Plans

Baby Boomers expect to spend an average of $8,796 on leisure travel during the next year, compared with $2,195 among Gen Z travelers. Boomers expect to spend more than four times as much as Gen Z respondents.

Income also affects travel intentions, although the survey did not provide detailed spending figures for each income group.

Artificial Intelligence Used Mainly for Inspiration

Fifty-one percent of leisure travelers said they have used artificial intelligence for travel planning, up 11 percentage points from the previous year.

AI use was higher among some groups. Seventy-one percent of Gen Z travelers said they had used AI for travel planning, as did 68% of households with children.

Only 4% of respondents ranked AI among their first three steps when planning a trip, suggesting travelers are more likely to use AI for destination ideas and travel research than for final booking decisions.

Outdoor Destinations Maintain Appeal

Interest in outdoor travel and visits to state and national parks remained resilient even as some other travel motivations declined year over year.

Among respondents interested in visiting parks, Yellowstone was the most frequently cited destination, with 75% expressing interest. The Grand Canyon followed at 66%.