How Rising Prices Are Quietly Rewriting Summer Vacation Plans

The price tag on a getaway is doing something interesting this year. It’s pushing some people to cancel their plans completely while convincing others to spend more than ever. Summer 2026 is shaping up to be a season of haves and have-nots, and the gap between the two groups keeps getting wider.

• Only 45% of Americans plan a vacation with paid lodging this summer, the lowest share in six years.
• Higher earners now dominate the travel pool, accounting for 55% of all travelers.
• Many people who still travel are raising their budgets instead of cutting corners.

Fewer People Are Packing a Bag

A fresh look at how Americans plan to spend their summer paints a clear picture. In a survey of 4,003 Americans fielded between April 2 and April 9, 2026, 45% said they’re planning a vacation with a stay in paid lodging, the lowest figure in the past six years. General affordability worries are keeping plenty of people home, and a growing number point specifically to the high cost of getting away. Add creeping concerns about safety and trip disruptions, and you get a smaller crowd heading out the door.

That shrinking pool changes who’s actually traveling. With more lower-income Americans deciding to stay put, people earning $100,000 or more will make up 55% of the traveling public this year, up from 50% in 2025. The summer travel scene is tilting toward households with more room in their budgets.

The Travelers Who Refuse to Cut Back

Now for the twist. The folks who are still going on trips aren’t pinching pennies. Planned trip frequency and length look a lot like last year, and intended budgets are climbing. More travelers say they’ll boost the budget for their big marquee trip, 24% compared with 19% in 2025, while fewer plan to trim it, 11% versus 14% a year ago. That pattern shows up among lower earners too, not just the wealthy.

What’s driving the willingness to spend? Two things stand out. The share of budget-boosters who blame high prices has jumped, and so has the share who say travel simply matters more to them now. People are digging deeper to keep up with rising costs rather than scaling back the experience. That mindset cuts across income levels.

High-Income Millennials Lead the Pack

One group is doing the heavy lifting for the travel industry this summer. More than 8 in 10 high-income millennials plan to travel, at roughly 1.2 times the frequency of everyone else, and they’re putting about 1.6 times the budget toward their marquee trips. They’re also tech-forward planners, with 43% saying they lean on generative AI to map out their trips. If you sell travel, this is the crowd worth chasing.

Still, even confident travelers are showing some hesitation. Across the board, people have made less progress locking in bookings than they had at this point last year. The middle-upper bracket shows the widest gap, with travelers earning $100,000 to $199,000 only 37% fully booked, down from 45% in 2025. That group seems caught between wanting to go big and feeling the squeeze on what they can actually afford.

Travel Is First on the Chopping Block for Many

The bigger worry sits further out on the calendar. When money gets tight, a vacation is often the first thing to go. A majority of Americans earning under $100,000, 51% of them, say travel spending is one of the first things they cut when expenses rise. About a third of those in the $100,000 to $199,000 range say the same, along with roughly a quarter of people earning $200,000 and up.

If high household costs stick around past the warm months, that could spell trouble for travel demand down the road. For now, there’s a bright spot for providers. Travelers aren’t avoiding any particular type of lodging or refusing to upgrade their flights. Companies aiming at budget-conscious customers may need to work harder, but a well-built deal can still coax those travelers off the fence.

What This Summer Tells Us About the Road Ahead

The story of summer 2026 comes down to a split. One group is sitting out, priced into a staycation. The other is leaning in, spending more to protect a trip that means something. For airlines, hotels, and anyone in the vacation business, the smart play is reading which traveler you’re talking to and pricing accordingly. Sharp deals win back the hesitant, while premium experiences keep the committed coming back. The summer rush hasn’t disappeared. It’s just gotten a lot pickier about who’s in it.