US Travelers Hit the Road as Flight Costs Climb

Americans are increasingly taking road trips amid an inflation- and tariff-related decline in consumer confidence.

That’s according to a Monday (May 12) report from Bloomberg News, citing AAA figures showing that roughly 39 million Americans will drive this Memorial Day weekend. That’s a 3.1% gain from 2024 and the highest level in 20 years.

The report adds that around 3.6 million travelers plan to fly, up 1.7% since last year. This trend is being driven by a decline in gas prices, an uptick in the cost of domestic airline tickets, and concerns about air travel safety following several high-profile crashes and other incidents.

Julie Brinkman, CEO of vacation rental revenue manager Beyond, told Bloomberg that when people are flying, they’re choosing domestic vacations over international trips.

“People still want to take trips, but those trips might be closer to home,” Brinkman said. “They’re also waiting longer to book. They need to know that they have job security, that they’re able to fund their trip.”

These travel trends are the latest example of how Americans are cutting back in the face of U.S. tariffs and larger economic uncertainty.

Recent research by PYMNTS Intelligence shows that inflation-conscious consumers were already keeping an eye on the price of everything from groceries and dining out to mobile phones and skating lessons in the past year.

“Now, amid the prospect of tariffs potentially pushing price tags higher, many shoppers are taking a harder look at what their spending and budgeting might look like 12 months down the road,” PYMNTS wrote in April.

Overall, the report found that more than 50 million consumers would shift their spending, and in some cases would halt spending on some categories, if price tags rose by 10% or more.

“The pressures are widespread, given the fact that the data show that 65% of U.S. adults live paycheck to paycheck,” PYMNTS wrote. “A significant 22% of consumers find it a struggle to meet their monthly obligations, which means that even keeping the fridge full or the pantry stocked is no easy task.”

Meanwhile, for people who do plan to spend on travel this year, there’s a good chance they’ll book their trip using digital means, according to additional PYMNTS Intelligence research.

A PYMNTS Intelligence special report “Consumers Go Mobile-First on Travel Purchases,” found that 51% of consumers prefer to book their travel via mobile device, while 70% of consumers use computers and phones to research trips and pay for them.