80% of respondents are either hopeful, happy, or excited at the idea of returning to in-person events, like travel, this month’s Amex Trendex uncovered last-minute summer travel trends:
- Making Up for Lost Time Before Return-To-Office and Back-To-School
- 60% of respondents plan to book and take a trip in the next month before the school year begins
- 40% of respondents traveled more this summer to make up for not traveling as much last year
- Looking ahead to the fall, 63% of consumers want to be more intentional with their paid time off and will schedule time off around a vacation instead of taking their days without a plan. - Spending More on Travel This Summer
- 61% of parents expect to spend more on experiences, such as travel, this year
- 35% of respondents say they spent more on travel this summer than they have in the past - Taking On Summer Travel With Family & Friends
- Travel companions differ by generation – Millennials (57%) and Gen Xers (52%) plan to travel with family, Boomers plan to travel with significant others (52%) and Gen Zers plan to travel with friends (28%)
- Top experiences respondents are planning to travel for include family reunions (22%), with friends (18%), birthday trips (8%) and anniversaries (8%)
- Top destinations parents are most looking forward to traveling internationally are Europe (33%), The Caribbean (21%), Asia (6%), and South/Central America (4%)
American Express Travel has seen similar trends when looking at US Card Member booking data from June 1, 2021 – June 30, 2021:
- Top air destinations for US Card Members include Florida, California, Texas, New York and Illinois
- Top U.S. Card Member rental car destinations include Orlando, Los Angeles, Denver, Miami, Dallas, and Boston
- 66% of hotel bookings were for travel within the next 60 days
In addition to these stats, this month’s Amex Trendex also found interesting insights around back-to-school and return-to-office.
