According to Future Partners’ latest State Of The American Traveler report, in March 2025, American travelers are maintaining a high volume of travel plans despite growing apprehensions about future economic conditions. Over 25% of these travelers have plans for the summer months, yet concerns about controlling costs persist. A significant 48.2% of American travelers have expressed their likelihood to travel internationally within the next year, which is a record high.
The financial sentiment among American travelers is generally positive, with an improvement in their assessment of their financial well-being. About 32.7% feel financially better off now than a year ago. Confidence in leisure travel spending has also seen an uptick, with 36.7% believing that the current time is favorable for such spending. Furthermore, 59.5% of these travelers have prioritized travel in their budgets. On average, American travelers have planned around four leisure trips over the next year, reaching a five-year high.
However, despite the current enthusiasm, there are growing concerns about the future. Fears of a recession are rising, with 41.9% of Americans expecting a downturn within the next six months. Moreover, only 46.2% anticipate their financial situation to improve in the coming year, a sharp drop from the previous month and a nine-year low.
The summer travel season looks promising, with approximately a quarter of travelers having plans for each summer month. Most of these summer travelers are full-time employees with higher annual household incomes and children in their households. Cost considerations and saving money feature significantly in their summer trip priorities, with more than a third seeking budget-friendly destinations and accommodations. Food, history, and international travel are the top interests of these summer travelers.
The planning window for a one-week domestic vacation has decreased to 11 weeks from 12 weeks in 2024. Yet, about a third of American travelers plan their summer trips 13 or more weeks out. In the last week alone, 84.4% of American travelers reported engaging in travel planning or dreaming, with 42.5% researching travel ideas online, 25.8% finding places to visit on social media, and 20% making travel reservations.
In terms of travel marketing, while TikTok has maintained steady popularity, there has been a recent surge in Instagram and X as sources of travel inspiration. In conclusion, despite prominent economic concerns, American travel in March 2025 remains resilient, with a record number of travelers intending to make international trips within the next year.
