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Earlier this spring, consumers were feeling good about their summer vacation prospects. More people were planning to make a journey in comparison with last 12 months, and summer travel budgets were up, too, in keeping with a brand new report from Deloitte.
But just a number of weeks later — after President Donald Trump announced widescale tariffs and the stock market dropped precipitously, bubbling up recession fears — some would-be vacationers abruptly scaled back their spending plans, a second round of the survey found.
About 53% of respondents plan to take leisure vacations this summer, up from 48% in 2024, according to a brand new report by Deloitte.Â
We still see a robust summer travel season, but perhaps with a more frugal approach.
Kate Ferrara
the transportation, hospitality and services sector leader at Deloitte
The report relies on two surveys: one was conducted between March 26 and April 1, 2025, and one other between April 7 and April 9. The primary survey reached 1,794 travelers and a pair of,132 non-travelers while the second reached 1,064 travelers and 880 non-travelers.
Initially, Deloitte found, the typical summer travel budget was set to grow 21% 12 months over 12 months, to $4,967. Within the second round of the survey, travelers expected to spend just 13% greater than last 12 months, or about $4,606.
When budgets for his or her longest trip of the season, respondents initially planned to spend a mean $3,987, 13% greater than 2024. That anticipated budget declined to $3,471 within the second poll, a rise of lower than 1% from a 12 months ago.Â
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Deloitte conducted a second poll since the firm noticed “softness” in consumer spending across other areas of their research, said Kate Ferrara, the transportation, hospitality and services sector leader at Deloitte.
“We still see a robust summer travel season, but perhaps with a more frugal approach,” said Ferrara.
Travel costs are down
Broadly, travel costs have declined, which can help travelers seeking to stretch their budget. Hotel room rates are down 2.4% from a 12 months ago, according to a recent report by NerdWallet. Rental automobile costs are also down 2.1% in that very same timeframe, while airfares are down 7.9%.
Round-trip domestic airfare for this summer is averaging $265 per ticket, according to the 2025 summer outlook by Hopper, a travel site. That is down 3% from $274 in 2024 and down 8% since 2019, the bottom level in three years.
Travel costs for international travel are generally down, said Hayley Berg, the lead economist at Hopper. The typical round-trip airfare between the U.S. and Europe, the preferred international destination, costs $850 per ticket this summer, down 8% from 2024, Hopper found.
Despite barely lower prices for travel, persons are generally spending more as a consequence of inflation, and might need less leftover money to spend on non-essential items like travel, said Deloitte’s Ferrara.
‘The basis of all of our hacks’
Of those that reduced their summer travel budgets, 34%Â of respondents plan to in the reduction of on their in-destination spending activity, comparable to food or paid guided excursions, Deloitte found. About 30% plan to stick with family and friends as an alternative of paying for lodging, and 21% selected to drive as an alternative of flying to their destination.
You can even get monetary savings this summer for those who could be flexible with things like whenever you take the day off, your destination, what you do when you’re there and your mode of transportation, experts say.
“The basis of all of our hacks for saving this summer is flexibility,” said Berg.
Airfare tends to spike or be higher during federal holiday weekends just like the Fourth of July and Labor Day, Hopper found. This 12 months, prices on these weekends will probably be about 34% higher in comparison with other weekends.
As a substitute of flying in the course of the summer, consider delaying trips toward the tip of the season, in late August and even early September, Berg said. Each price and travel demand will typically drop off by then because the latest school 12 months starts and employees return to regular work schedules, she said.
What’s more, flying in the course of the week may also help save as much as 20% on airfare, per the positioning’s report.
Traveling on a Tuesday or Wednesday also can help vacationers save about $67 on a round trip domestic flight this summer, Hopper found. That flexibility may also help travelers save over $100 on international trips to Europe or Asia.Â
