The share of Americans planning a summer vacation with a stay in paid lodging has fallen to its lowest point in six years, even as those who do travel are budgeting more than ever to protect the quality of their trips. The finding comes from Deloitte’s 2026 Summer Travel Survey, the most detailed snapshot yet of how rising prices are pulling the traveling public in opposite directions.
Vacation intent at a six-year floor
According to Deloitte’s survey of 4,003 Americans, fielded from April 2 to April 9, 2026, 45% of respondents are planning vacations with stays in paid lodging, the lowest in the last six years.
Travel incidence is down across all income levels but is most pronounced among households earning less than $100,000 per year, falling eight percentage points year-over-year, compared to a four-point decline each for middle- and high-income earners.
The main reasons cited by non-travelers are the high cost of travel (32%) and an inability to afford it (35%). A growing number of those staying home specifically highlight the high cost of travel.
Those who go plan to spend significantly more
Despite the decline in overall travel intent, those who plan to travel expect to spend an average of $4,069 on their longest summer trip, a 17% increase from the previous year. About one in four travelers plan to significantly increase their trip budgets, up five percentage points from 2025, an increase primarily attributed to higher airline and lodging prices.
Higher-income travelers are showing increased interest in full-service hotels, 59% in 2026 versus 54% in 2025, and destination resorts, up to 23% from 14%.
The net effect is a traveler pool that is smaller but wealthier and less willing to compromise on comfort.
Kate Ferrara, vice chair and U.S. transportation, hospitality and services sector leader at Deloitte, said: “Amid pricing pressures, those who are packing their bags this summer intend to spend, indicating that many are putting a premium on experiences.” She added that providers can capitalize on this opportunity by focusing on enhancing the travel experience through upgrades and partner offerings, and that leaning into the emotional connection to enhance vacation’s value could be a differentiator this summer.
The slow drift toward shoulder-season travel
While most travelers surveyed (77%) say their longest trip will fall before the end of August, the share of all summer trips taking place after Labor Day (Sept. 7) has climbed from 12% in 2022 to 20% in 2026.
Stretching the definition of “summer travel” into September may reflect both a search for lower fares and a preference for smaller crowds at popular destinations.
Millennials are major shapers of travel demand this year, representing almost a third of travelers (31% vs. 29% in 2025). The share of budget increasers who cite high prices and the share who say travel has become more important to them have both risen sharply. Travelers are resisting compromise and spending more to keep up with rising prices.
A spending squeeze reshaping how people choose to travel
The Deloitte results land alongside a parallel dataset from NerdWallet’s annual summer travel survey, which found a nearly identical headline figure. Nearly half of Americans (45%) plan to take a vacation in summer 2026 that requires a flight and/or paid lodging, such as a hotel or vacation rental stay. They expect to spend $3,940 on average for those travel costs.
The NerdWallet survey also found that 84% of 2026 summer travelers will use credit cards to pay for at least some of their vacation travel expenses, making cards the most popular payment method by far.
The convergence of two independent large-sample surveys on the same 45% participation figure gives the data unusual weight. For American families already navigating tighter household budgets, a trend documented in how closely people track spending, the choice between a full vacation and staying home is becoming starker.
Those who do plan to travel expect to take the same number of trips, travel for more days, and spend more on their experiences.
For households still on the fence, the calculus increasingly comes down to whether the trip feels worth the price, not just whether they can technically afford it. That same scrutiny applies broadly to how younger Americans weigh major discretionary decisions against a backdrop of costs that keep moving upward.
