Survey: Family summer travel still booming, but costs are having a big impact
Despite dramatically higher travel prices, families are still heading to airports and roads in force this summer.
The cost of airfare, hotels and attractions is higher, but that has not dissuaded most families from traveling — they're simply traveling differently.
A new survey commissioned by TPG and conducted by YouGov found that 63% of parents with kids under 18 already have a family trip planned for this summer.
Only 6% canceled a vacation outright, while another 5% swapped destinations. The survey of U.S. parents with children under 18 found that just 27% aren't traveling at all.
The takeaway? Travel remains a priority despite higher prices. Families say cost is their top consideration, but they're still taking trips. They'd rather adjust than cancel.
Here are some other interesting findings:
- The survey suggests that while travel demand remains strong, today's family travelers are becoming more flexible — changing destinations, redeeming rewards and involving kids in vacation planning.
- Of those surveyed, 21% said they plan to use points and miles to help make family travel possible this summer, but only 5% say that availability of points/miles redemptions matters most when choosing destinations.
- More families with summer travel plans changed their destinations than shortened trips or cut back on excursions and/or activities at their destination compared to previous years.
- These families are making small compromises instead of canceling: tweaking things like trip length or where they stay.
- Nearly two-thirds rank budget among their top three destination considerations.
For context, our earlier summer survey found that 71% of all travelers planned to travel the same amount or more than last summer.
These findings came even as prices are much higher. In May, airfare was 27% higher than last year, according to federal inflation data.
But there is some good news: Prices have begun to fall a bit. While you'll pay about 14% more than last year, in the latest check of our data from our partnership with Points Path, a domestic coach ticket booked between three and five weeks in advance was cheaper than last month. And August fares are running about 6% cheaper than the same month last year.
How to save this summer: Explore our summer travel hub
Families are chasing value, not luxury
Still, higher prices are affecting some family travel decisions.
One-quarter (25%) of parents with summer travel plans say they are changing their destination to one that is closer or less expensive, making it the most common money-saving strategy.
Nearly as many (24%) are changing how they travel, whether that's driving instead of flying or booking economy instead of premium cabins. Another 23% are saving on accommodations by booking fewer hotel rooms or staying with relatives.
Many of these families are also shortening trips compared to previous years (20%), traveling during off-peak dates (20%) and trimming activities or excursions once they arrive (19%).
Of course, one of my favorite findings was that more than one in five families (21%) are using travel rewards points or miles to help make their vacation happen.
That's exactly why TPG exists. We always say "earn 'em and burn 'em," so if you've been saving points for a family vacation, this is the kind of year where they can make a big difference.
The amount people are spending is also pretty revealing.
Half are spending $1,001 to $5,000, and 13% are spending $5,001 to $10,000; meanwhile, just 4% are spending more than $10,000.
Cost matters — but so do the kids
Budget may be king, but it's far from the only thing driving vacation decisions.
Nearly two-thirds (63%) say overall cost is one of the three biggest factors when choosing a destination. Kid-friendly attractions rank second (48%), followed by travel distance and convenience (40%), weather and climate (37%), and simply choosing somewhere that everyone in the family agrees on (32%).
Interestingly, only 5% say award availability with points or miles is a deciding factor.
This is a reminder that most families don't choose destinations because awards are available — they choose where they want to go first, then figure out how to make the trip affordable.
Just a reminder that if you can add flexibility both in dates and even destinations, you can save quite a bit.
Family vacations have become a team effort
Forget the days when Mom or Dad simply announced where the family was headed.
The survey found that vacation planning has become increasingly collaborative.
About 32% of parents say they make the decisions themselves, but nearly as many (31%) say planning is a family collaboration. Another 28% say it depends on the trip, while 9% report that their children have a significant influence over the destination.
Of course, kids have opinions.
When asked where their kids would most like to go, beach vacations topped the list, with 45% of parents saying their children requested destinations like Florida, Hawaii or the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
Water parks came in second (36%), followed by camping and outdoor destinations (26%). Theme parks remain perennial favorites, with 23% asking for theme parks more broadly and another 22% requesting Disney World or Disneyland.
National parks also tied Disney at 22%, showing that plenty of families are mixing outdoor adventure with traditional attractions.
Here are some interesting facts on destinations:
- Beach vacations remain America's favorite family trip. They easily outpace Disney and other traditional family attractions.
- Outdoor travel is thriving. Camping (26%) and national parks (22%) suggest that families continue to seek nature-based vacations.
- Disney isn't everything anymore. Beaches, water parks, camping, and national parks collectively outperform Disney as requested destinations.
- Families are staying relatively close to home. Low interest in international trips (11%) and the emphasis on convenience suggest domestic travel remains dominant.
Sometimes parents still have to say no
Every parent knows vacation planning involves a little negotiation.
More than half (54%) say they're open to their children's destination ideas.
But when parents veto a trip, it's usually because of cost.
One-quarter (25%) said they've turned down a destination because it was simply too expensive. Far fewer cited it being too far (5%), crowded attractions (6%) or international travel (8%).
In other words, the family budget — not the kids — is often the deciding vote.
Parents worry less than you might think
Traveling with children comes with plenty of stress, but parents appear more confident than stereotypes might suggest.
In fact, 28% say they have no major fears about traveling with their kids.
Even so, safety concerns at the destination (19%) top the list of worries, followed closely by the risk of getting separated from a child (18%). Parents also worry about children getting sick while traveling (14%) and airline delays or cancellations disrupting carefully planned vacations (12%).
Surprisingly, only 5% cite public meltdowns as their biggest concern, and just 1% worry about their children bothering other passengers.
The biggest travel frustrations? It's not the kids
Parents may worry about logistics, but their biggest pet peeves often have little to do with their own children.
The biggest complaint? Overpriced food at airports and attractions was cited by 41% of respondents.
Rude or impatient fellow travelers (33%) ranked second, followed by long security or check-in lines (30%). Another 30% said that other parents failing to manage their own children is one of their biggest frustrations.
Nearly one in four (23%) cited a lack of family-friendly amenities, such as play spaces and changing stations, while 19% said hotels sometimes overpromise and underdeliver when it comes to being "kid friendly."
Snacks still beat screens — barely
Parents have plenty of tricks for surviving travel.
Snacks remain the ultimate travel hack, with 61% relying on them to keep kids happy.
Close behind are tablets loaded with downloaded content (60%) and headphones for movies and music (57%).
Nearly half (46%) still pack books, coloring books or activity pads, while 41% spend time talking with children about the destination before they arrive.
Old-school road trip games haven't disappeared either. About one-third still play games like "I Spy" or "20 Questions" (32%), and 30% pack travel-sized games such as Uno or Scrabble.
Bottom line
There are very few signs that family travel is slowing this summer, with just 6% saying they canceled a planned trip even though there are much higher prices across the board.
Instead, parents are stretching budgets with smarter planning.
It's also fascinating that parents are involving kids in vacation decisions, redeeming points and miles when it makes sense, and focusing on experiences over extravagance.
There are still plenty of ways to create memorable family vacations without blowing the budget.
If you're still planning a last-minute getaway, flexibility remains your biggest advantage. Consider nearby destinations, travel midweek if possible, and don't overlook your stash of airline miles or hotel points. As this survey shows, families don't need to spend more to make lasting memories — they just need to travel smarter.
Read on for more of our money-saving tips and check out our new summer travel hub for everything you need to know to travel better.
Related reading:
- The best time to book flights for the cheapest airfare
- Best airline credit cards
- What exactly are airline miles, anyway?
- 6 real-life strategies you can use when your flight is canceled or delayed
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
The Points Guy commissioned YouGov Plc to conduct the survey. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. The total sample size was 783 U.S. parents of children under 18, of whom 528 reported having summer travel plans. Fieldwork was undertaken between 16th and 21st June 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all US parents with children under 18(aged 18+).