Despite tighter budgets, Americans aren’t sacrificing their vacations.
Travel demand is bouncing back this fall, with travelers planning an average of nearly four leisure trips and a total spend of $5,655 over the next 12 months, according to MMGY’s 2026 Portrait of American Travelers “Fall Edition.”
Strategic Savings and Off-Peak Travel
Both the number of trips and the expected amount U.S. travelers are spending represent increases over MMGY’s summer report.
Nonetheless, Americans are adjusting their travel habits in order to stretch their dollars. More than a third (35%) are choosing to travel during off-peak times, 32% are cutting back on everyday expenses, while placing a high premium on trips with friends and family to create memorable experiences.
Spending Disparities Across Generations
The survey found that travel spending varies by age group. “Boomers expect to spend $8,796 on travel over the next year, over four times the $2,195 expected by Gen Z travelers,” MMGY said.
“Cost is also pushing more travelers toward domestic destinations, with 64% citing lower expense as a reason to stay within the U.S.,” MMGY said. “Yet value extends beyond price, with travelers prioritizing quality time, lasting memories and quality accommodations.”
A young female traveler exploring old town Piran, Slovenia. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock/rh2010)
AI’s Role in Planning vs. Booking
More than half of leisure travelers (51%) have used AI for travel planning, up 11 percentage points year over year,” the survey found.
“Adoption reaches 71% among Gen Z travelers and 68% among households with children. Yet just 4% of travelers rank AI among their first three trip-planning steps, suggesting its greatest influence today remains in inspiration and discovery rather than conversion.”
In particular, “nature and the outdoors remain perennial reasons to travel,” the report said, citing such national parks as Yellowstone (75%) and the Grand Canyon (66%) as ranking the highest.
Redefining Value in Travel
“Americans continue to tell us that travel is something they’re willing to protect, even when household budgets are under pressure,” said MMGY’s Vice President of Syndicated Research Simon Moriarty. “What’s changing is how they make those trips possible.
“Travelers are becoming more strategic about when they go, where they spend and what they consider worth paying, he added. “At the same time, widening generational and income divides mean there is no longer a single definition of value. For travel brands, understanding those differences is becoming just as important as understanding overall demand.”
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