Americans Anticipate Nearly 4 Vacations in the Coming Year Despite Economic Strains
Despite ongoing economic pressures, American travelers are not giving up on their vacations — they’re simply getting smarter about them. According to the newly released 2026 Portrait of American Travelers™ “Fall Edition” by MMGY Global, travel demand among U.S. consumers has rebounded significantly compared to earlier in the year.
The survey reveals that Americans now expect to spend an average of $5,655 on leisure travel over the next 12 months and plan to take 3.9 vacations during the same period — both figures up from the Summer Edition of the study, which recorded 3.5 expected trips.
Rather than cutting travel altogether, consumers are making strategic trade-offs to protect their vacation budgets. 35% of travelers plan trips during off-peak periods, while 32% report reducing spending in other areas of their household budget. Cost is also shaping destination decisions, with 64% citing lower expenses as a motivation for choosing domestic travel over international.
A sharp generational divide is emerging in spending expectations: Baby Boomers expect to spend $8,796 on travel in the next year — more than four times the $2,195 expected by Gen Z travelers — highlighting an increasingly fragmented U.S. travel market.
Source: Travel Daily News – American Vacation Demand Remains Resilient, MMGY Finds