Americans Prioritize Summer Travel Over Daily Luxuries Despite Costs

According to Priceline’s 2026 State of Summer Travel Report, 79% of U.S. adults intend to take at least one trip this season. The data reveals a stark K-shaped travel economy where budget-conscious trips are surging while high-end spending remains stable. For many, the necessity of a break outweighs the financial strain; nearly 7 in 10 respondents stated that summer simply would not feel like summer without a vacation.

Parents and Millennials are bearing the brunt of this financial pressure. Parents are 34% more likely than non-parents to have cut daily expenses to fund their getaways, even as 23% have been forced to cancel or alter plans due to rising prices. Millennials face a similar contradiction, with 36% describing typical vacations as a luxury, yet 28% planning to spend $5,000 or more on travel this year.

To navigate these costs, travelers are increasingly turning to technology. Half of all Americans plan to use AI tools for deal-hunting, a figure that jumps to 69% among Millennials. This shift comes as 81% of travelers report that planning a trip has become an exhausting chore, often leading to cost-cutting trade-offs—such as choosing longer flights or inconvenient accommodations—that many later regret. Priceline CEO Brigit Zimmerman noted that while aspirations remain high, travelers are becoming significantly more deliberate in how they secure their trips.