Americans Plan More Summer Travel in 2025 but Slash Budgets, Favoring Frugal Choices

The 2025 Deloitte summer travel survey indicates that 53% of Americans plan to take leisure vacations, up from 48% in 2024, marking one of the highest travel incidences since the pandemic. Despite a decline in financial well-being reported in April 2025, travel incidence, trip frequency, and trip length remained steady between late March and early April surveys. However, planned spending growth dropped significantly, from a 21% year-on-year increase in late March to 13% by early April, reflecting a more frugal approach. This contrasts with 2024, where fewer traveled but spent more to enhance experiences, while 2025 shows more travelers taking additional quick getaways with restrained budgets.

Summer Travel

The Deloitte survey highlights a shift toward frugality in American travel plans, with uneven impacts across the travel industry. Travelers are not broadly avoiding specific categories but are making selective choices to fit smaller budgets, such as opting for driving over flying, reducing international trips and destination resort stays, and cutting back on in-destination experiences. Plans may shift further due to economic changes, booking decisions, or on-site adjustments. Despite a post-pandemic emphasis on discovery and new experiences, economic caution is evident, compounded by a 10% year-on-year decline in non-citizen arrivals to the U.S. in March 2025, including a 14% drop from European visitors. Travel providers are advised to stay agile, offering timely, targeted deals to capture discretionary spending and delivering seamless, memorable experiences to maintain travel’s priority in 2025.

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