47% of Americans Scale Back Summer Travel as Grocery and Gas Costs Eat Into Vacation Budgets

New Omnisend study shows many Americans are spending vacation money on everyday essentials and paying off debt

CHARLESTON, S.C., July 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Summer travel isn't disappearing, but many Americans are scaling back their itineraries this year. A new survey of 1,075  U.S. consumers by Omnisend found that while 59% have travel plans this summer, only 17% are taking a major trip involving flights or paid lodging. Instead, many are choosing more affordable alternatives:

• 21% say they're taking a shorter or cheaper trip than originally planned
• 20% are sticking to day trips or local outings
• 14% plan to stay home altogether

Overall, nearly half (47%) say they've postponed, shortened, downgraded, or entirely canceled a summer trip because of cost. Among those affected, gas prices were cited most often (46%), along with groceries and everyday bills (29%), hotel or vacation rental (24%), and food costs while traveling (18%).

"Americans aren't giving up on summer. They're giving up on the idea that a memorable vacation has to involve flights, hotels, or a hefty price tag. A vacation budget no longer exists in isolation – it's competing with higher fuel costs, grocery bills and other everyday expenses that have become harder to ignore. So, people are becoming much more creative about finding breaks that fit their budget instead of abandoning the idea of a getaway altogether," says Marty Bauer, Ecommerce Expert at Omnisend.

Vacation budgets are going to everyday necessities

For many Americans, the money saved by cutting back on travel is being redirected toward more immediate priorities. Twenty-nine percent of those who are spending less on travel this year admit they need the money for essentials. Nearly half (47%) say they're spending it on groceries, while 28% are putting it toward rent or mortgage payments. Another 23% are using it to pay down debt.

"There was a time when skipping or downgrading a vacation might have meant spending that money on a home renovation or new furniture. Today, that's increasingly not the case. Before families decide where they want to go, they're deciding whether that money would be better spent putting food on the table, staying on top of bills or paying down debt. That's a very different kind of spending than we typically associate with summer," says Bauer.

Methodology

The survey was commissioned by Omnisend and conducted by Cint in June 2026. A total of 1,075 U.S. consumers took part in the survey. Quotas were placed on age, gender, income, and place of residence to achieve a nationally representative sample among users. The margin of error is +/-3 percent.

More: https://www.omnisend.com/blog/summer-travel-trends-2026/ 

About Omnisend

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For further information, please contact:

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SOURCE Omnisend