Summer 2026 journey preview: Price issues meet intentional journey planning

Despite ongoing financial uncertainty and rising prices, shoppers are displaying a robust urge to journey this summer season. Trips could look a bit of completely different this season than in years previous, although, as budgetary restrictions come into play. 

Ahead of Memorial Day, usually thought of the unofficial kickoff to summer season, Hotel Dive analyzed a number of seasonal journey forecasts and spoke with trade specialists to find out what developments will drive (or hinder) journey this summer season and the way they might affect resorts.

Memorial Day journey is an early indicator

AAA tasks that 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home during Memorial Day weekend. The vacation interval — this 12 months spanning Thursday, May 21, to Monday, May 25 — has traditionally proven early indicators for summer season journey developments. 

“Travel demand remains strong, and despite higher fuel prices, many people are prioritizing leisure travel during holiday breaks,” Stacey Barber, vp of AAA Travel, mentioned in a press release. AAA’s 2026 Memorial Day weekend projections are roughly flat 12 months over 12 months, although, signaling stagnation in journey demand. 

This 12 months, there seems to be a generational divide in terms of Memorial Day journey. Some 34% of U.S. adults plan to travel over the holiday weekend, anticipating to spend a median of $898, in line with PwC’s US Consumer Poll on Summer Spending, which surveyed 2,060 adults in April. Of these vacationers, although, Gen Z and millennial shoppers are far outpacing their older counterparts. 

Roughly half of Gen Z shoppers (49%) and 43% of millennials plan to make a journey over Memorial Day weekend, in comparison with 29% of Gen X people and 21% of child boomers, the PwC ballot discovered. Another notable discovering is that Memorial Day vacationers booked their stays early and plan to take three or extra journeys this summer season, in line with PwC. 

This comes as 85% of U.S. travelers say they’re “desperate for a vacation,” in line with international journey insurance coverage supplier Allianz Partners. 

Consumers prioritize journeys, however value issues persist

Allianz Partners surveyed 2,001 Americans between March 20 and April 14 and located that 70% plan to journey this summer season — a barely increased proportion than skilled companies agency KPMG reported. 

Some 60% of respondents to KPMG’s Consumer Pulse Summer 2026 survey, which polled 1,544 U.S. shoppers between Feb. 27 and March 18, mentioned they plan to travel this summer. 

Meanwhile, Deloitte’s 2026 Summer Travel Survey discovered that 45% of Americans plan to take a summer vacation with a keep in paid lodging — the bottom determine in six years. Deloitte’s survey fielded responses from 4,003 Americans in April. 

While many shoppers wish to journey, a good portion (79%) expressed concern about rising journey prices in Allianz Partners’ survey. And Priceline information shared with Hotel Dive exhibits that 44% of Americans really feel summer season journey is out of attain as a consequence of rising prices this 12 months. 

However, shoppers won’t lower journey fully this summer season, Christina Bennett, shopper journey developments knowledgeable at Priceline, informed Hotel Dive. Instead, they’re being extra intentional about their journey selections, “making tradeoffs where it makes sense and finding ways to make their budgets go further,” Bennett mentioned. 

This tracks with KPMG analysis, which discovered that 38% of shoppers are adjusting plans to cheaper options, together with shortening holidays, to make them occur this summer season. 

Meanwhile, Allianz Partners discovered that 59% of American vacationers are chopping again on non-essential bills of their day by day lives to afford summer season journey. And PwC reported that Americans plan to spend much less on consuming out to make this summer season’s trip plans a actuality.

More Americans are additionally anticipated to remain stateside this 12 months to hedge in opposition to rising prices. According to KPMG, 69% of vacationers plan to remain within the U.S. this summer season, whereas 21% are planning worldwide holidays, down from 28% in 2025. 

How resorts can seize seasonal demand

For the U.S. resort trade, a rise in home journey this summer season “is a tailwind that should be really helpful,” Braden Mark, U.S. accomplice and journey, leisure and hospitality chief at KPMG, informed Hotel Dive. Overall, “hotel demand is still really strong,” he mentioned. 

According to KPMG analysis, resorts will stay the most well-liked lodging alternative amongst vacationers this summer season, although their dominance has declined for a fourth straight 12 months. This comes as extra lower-income vacationers prioritize staying with family and friends and higher-income households present a larger desire for trip leases. 

Deloitte information exhibits that the variety of Americans planning to remain in resorts at the least as soon as through the summer season journey season has remained regular 12 months over 12 months (81% in 2026 vs. 80% in 2025), although personal rental stays are anticipated to see a slight uptick this summer season (29% vs. 25%). 

Another tailwind for resorts, Mark mentioned, is the FIFA World Cup, which is able to deliver tournaments throughout a number of home host cities in June and July. The occasion comes as shoppers are “being really deliberate about the trips that they take, building those around the experiences that they want to have,” Mark mentioned. 

PwC discovered that 11% of Americans plan to attend a World Cup recreation in particular person this summer season, spending a median of $379 on tickets, plus $328 on journey prices, and $311 on resorts. 

Earlier this month, it was reported that resort bookings for the occasion are presently monitoring considerably under preliminary expectations. 

Beyond soccer matches, vacationers are anticipated to allot finances will increase towards enhanced journey experiences this summer season, together with extra luxurious lodging, in line with Deloitte. 

“Amid pricing pressures, those who are packing their bags this summer intend to spend, indicating that many are putting a premium on experiences,” Kate Ferrara, vice chair and U.S. transportation, hospitality and companies sector chief at Deloitte, mentioned in a press release. “Providers can capitalize on this opportunity by focusing on enhancing the travel experience through upgrades and partner offerings. Those who are traveling have already decided it’s worth the investment, so leaning into the emotional connection to enhance vacation’s value could be a differentiator this summer.” 

Priceline’s Bennett echoed an analogous sentiment, stating that customers “want their trips to feel worth it,” so they’re “prioritizing experiences that deliver a strong emotional return.” 

AI shifts journey search and reserving conduct

To optimize experience-based journeys this summer season, shoppers are embracing new instruments, together with generative AI for journey planning, in line with KPMG. 

Artificial intelligence “is certainly starting to play a meaningful role in how people plan their trips,” Mark mentioned, including that KPMG has discovered that roughly 27% of shoppers are already utilizing AI through the discovery or search part, that means that customers are more and more utilizing AI to slim their decision-making round reserving. 

PwC discovered an analogous pattern, with some 44% of respondents saying they usually or at all times use AI instruments to check journey costs and search for reductions, whereas 42% use them to analysis locations and journey choices, and 33% use AI brokers or bots to guide elements of their journeys. 

“For all participants in the travel industry, making sure your brand or your specific hotel is showing up in the way that you want it to during the discovery phase is the most important thing to focus on right now as it relates to AI,” Mark mentioned. 

Hotel firms together with Hilton, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International and IHG Hotels & Resorts have all just lately launched or are presently engaged on their very own AI-powered conversational search instruments to help with journey planning and reserving.