by Madison Blancaflor and Becky Blaine, Managing Editors
A year marked with economic uncertainty, stricter travel and immigration policies, and a changing loyalty landscape hasn’t quelled Americans’ love of travel.
While the state of the economy — including the loss of over $5 billion in travel spending during the government shutdown — is prompting travelers to change their spending habits, consumers are still planning to prioritize travel in their 2026 budgets.
However, despite 39% of Americans planning to tighten up their travel budgets and 63% of consumers looking at cheaper destinations in 2026, travel brands and credit card issuers are also doubling down on premium experiences and benefits — with higher prices to go with them.
Check out the full 2026 Travel Trends report to understand how the industry is evolving, and how you, the consumer, can navigate these trends.
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Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
