Americans plan more and longer trips this holiday season

Individuals are prioritising journey, investing in upgrades and experiences to rejoice the season. 

• Vacation journey intent continues to be robust: Half (49%) of Individuals intend to journey between Thanksgiving and mid-January. Vacationers anticipate to spend a mean of $3,294for his or her longest vacation journey, and their seasonal journey funds is 4% increased than in 2023.
• Vacation vacationers plan to take 2.14 journeys, up from 1.88 final yr, and 33% are planning holidays of every week or longer, in comparison with 25% in 2023.
• Youthful and higher-income vacationers are largely driving journey this season. Two-thirds of higher-income Individuals plan to journey, and all generations, other than Boomers, plan for increased frequency and spend. Millennials plan to spend probably the most ($3,927).
• “Laptop computer lugging” makes its first soar since 2021,as 49% of employed vacationers intend to work, not less than partially, on their longest leisure journey of the 2024 vacation season, up from 34% final yr.

Vacation journey spending takes off

The variety of Individuals planning to go dwelling — or elsewhere — for the vacations stays regular. Almost half (49%) of Individuals plan to journey through the 2024 vacation season, in comparison with 48% in 2023. Nonetheless, frequency and budgets for these vacation journeys are growing as journey turns into a higher precedence throughout the board.

• Individuals who plan to journey anticipate to take 2.14 journeys this season in comparison with 1.88 in 2023, the very best since journey resumed post-pandemic. Budgets are additionally up, as 28% (versus 18% in 2023) plan to considerably enhance their budgets for his or her longest journey this yr. Individuals anticipate to spend a mean of $3,294 on their longest vacation journey.
• Amongst these growing their spend, 4 in 10 say that journey has turn out to be extra necessary to them, making it the first purpose for greater budgets this vacation season.
• Deliberate journey is concentrated round two main holidays with 3 in 10 Individuals planning to journey over Thanksgiving, and 1 / 4 planning a visit across the December holidays.
• Though fewer journeys are deliberate for later within the season, these journeys are typically longer. Amongst these touring in early- to mid-January, 36% plan to make a journey lasting every week or extra, in comparison with simply 16% at Thanksgiving.
• All generations other than Boomers are planning for increased journey frequency and spend, with millennials planning to spend probably the most ($3,927) and take probably the most journeys (2.6).
• There’s a notable rise in journey intent amongst higher-income Individuals (these incomes $100,000 and above) — 66% plan to journey in 2024, up from 59% final yr. They are going to make up over half of paid lodging vacationers (52%) this vacation season.
• Whereas 46% of Individuals say they’re doing higher financially, up from 31% in 2023, the explanations for not touring this season stay largely unchanged: 39% say they can not afford it (much like the 38% who stated the identical in 2023) and 31% say journey is just too costly proper now (versus 32% in 2023). 

“Enthusiasm for vacation journey retains climbing as vacationers look to take advantage of the season by visiting family and friends. A rise in journey frequency is pushing budgets up, giving journey suppliers the chance to capitalize on festive experiences. Vacationers who put money into their vacation reminiscences might create the groundwork for loyalty that stays long gone the brand new yr.” Says Kate Ferrara, vice chair and U.S. transportation, hospitality and companies sector chief, Deloitte

Private desire drives choices, creating alternatives to construct loyalty

Vacationers are in search of out personalised, upgraded experiences, creating a chance for suppliers to drive loyalty this vacation season.

• Almost 1 in 5 plan to fly throughout Thanksgiving or Christmas, and 30% plan to remain in paid lodging, together with lodges or non-public leases.
• These planning to extend budgets are planning to splurge on longer journeys (49%), higher lodging areas (44%) and upgraded airfare (29%).
• Over half (52%) of vacation vacationers plan to take a home flight not less than as soon as this vacation season, in comparison with 24% flying internationally. Highway journeys have additionally seen a resurgence as 65% of vacation vacationers plan to take one.
• Extra vacationers are utilizing social media apps to plan their vacation journeys (39% versus 27% in 2023). The variety of vacationers leveraging brief social video content material and GenAI instruments can be up — 27% versus 16% in 2023 and 16% versus 8% in 2023, respectively.

Laptop computer lugging ascends once more

As extra Individuals place a higher worth on their journey plans, working whereas touring or “laptop computer lugging,” makes a big soar this vacation season for the primary time since 2021. 

• Half (49%) of vacationers intend to work, not less than partially, on their longest leisure journey of the vacation season, in comparison with one-third (34%) final yr.
• Laptop computer lugging is essentially pushed by younger- and higher-income vacationers: 58% of Gen Z vacationers and 54% of millennials plan to partake, whereas 52% of high-income vacationers say the identical. Nonetheless, the pattern is up throughout all revenue ranges and age teams.
• Distant work continues to allow vacation vacationers to take extra seasonal journeys and prolong them. Laptop computer luggers plan to take a mean of two.7 journeys this season in comparison with simply 2 journeys for these planning to disconnect fully. Those that plan to work remotely may also prolong their longest journey by a mean of three days.
• Laptop computer luggers are additionally extra inclined to journey internationally, with 3 in 10 planning to take action in comparison with 18% of disconnectors. The most well-liked longest-trip locations for worldwide laptop computer luggers are Europe (41%), Mexico (20%) and Canada (14%), mirroring the final inhabitants’s selections (Europe: 36%, Mexico: 23% and Canada: 14%).

“Vacationers are discovering methods to make their holidays occur, their approach. Youthful vacationers are splurging on upgraded experiences; distant work continues to allow longer, extra frequent journeys; and everyone seems to be on the lookout for good meals and loads of choices. The journey trade has a primary alternative to faucet into these developments to assist drive lasting loyalty this vacation season.” Says Eileen Crowley, U.S. transportation, hospitality and companies, associate, Deloitte & Touche LLP

Deloitte’s “2024 Vacation Journey Survey” is predicated on a survey of 4,074 Individuals fielded between Sept. 17 and Sept. 23. Of those, 2,005 respondents who’re planning to journey between Thanksgiving and mid-January certified as vacation vacationers.