2026 Portrait of American Travelers™ "Spring Edition" Only

A Comprehensive, Data‑Driven View of U.S. Leisure Travel Intentions for 2026

MMGY's 2026 Portrait of American Travelers™ – "Spring Edition" provides one of the industry’s most authoritative and detailed analyses of how Americans plan to travel over the next 12 months. Based on a large‑scale survey of 4,502 U.S. adults, including 3,542 active leisure travelers, this report delivers rich, actionable insights for destinations, travel marketers, strategic planners, and hospitality leaders.

Why This Report Is Essential

Leisure travel demand is entering one of its strongest modern cycles. Travelers expect to spend $5,704 on leisure travel in the coming year — a notable increase over late 2025 — and plan to take 3.87 trips on average.
With 67% of U.S. adults expecting to travel within the next six months, consumer confidence remains robust across generations and income brackets.

What’s Inside the Report

✔ Travel Outlook & Economic Indicators

Gain a clear understanding of the macro‑level mindset of American travelers through:

• Expected leisure spending and trip frequency
• Short‑ and mid‑term travel intentions
• Key travel concerns including personal finances, perceived costs, and travel safety

✔ Generational & Income‑Based Travel Insights

See how travel behaviors differ dramatically among Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers.

• Boomers remain the highest‑spending segment, planning to spend $9,288 on leisure travel.
• Gen Z shows the lowest planned spend at $2,780, but maintains strong intent to travel.
• Household income strongly shapes travel behavior:
  • $100K+ households expect to spend $8,192
  • < $100K households expect $2,243

✔ Destination Demand & Emerging Hotspots

Understand what’s capturing U.S. travelers’ attention in 2026:

• Hawaii, Florida, and California remain the top desired states
• Utah shows a notable 4% year‑over‑year increase, driven by winter sports demand and higher Gen Z interest
• Rising metro‑area favorites include Palm Springs and Albuquerque, both showing strong momentum across key segments

✔ Family vs. Non‑Family Travel Behavior

The presence of children significantly influences travel preferences:

• Travelers with children are more interested in Miami, Orlando, and Houston
• Travelers without children prefer more flexible and experiential destinations such as Phoenix/Scottsdale, Asheville, and the Outer Banks

✔ Trip Planning, Triggers & Motivations

This edition captures why Americans decide to travel and how they begin planning their vacations:

• Motivators include relaxation, family connection, and nature exploration
• Inspiration sources include editorial articles, vacation photos, social media, and travel deals
• Planning behaviors reveal when and how travelers choose destinations, transportation, and activities

✔ Generational Destination Preferences

Dive deep into top destinations for each generation — including Hawaii, Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, New York City, and San Diego — and understand how interests differ across age groups.

Who This Report Is For

Ideal for:

• Tourism boards, DMOs & destination marketers
• Travel brands & advertising teams
• Airlines, resorts & hospitality strategists
• Market research professionals
• Agencies focused on traveler segmentation and audience development

If you need data‑backed insights to forecast demand, shape messaging, refine targeting, or anticipate shifts in traveler behavior, this is your must‑have resource for Spring 2026.