Travel hassles for Americans: Most disrupted by talkative fellow passengers, survey reveals additional findings
American Travel Trends in 2025: A Tougher, More Vigilant Landscape
In 2025, American travelers are facing a more challenging landscape, marked by limited flight options, increased risk of fraud, and higher travel expenses. According to a recent survey, a significant number of travelers are becoming more cautious with their spending, seeking promotions, discounts, and travel credits to mitigate these rising costs.
A study reveals that 61% of Americans cannot afford to travel during the upcoming holiday season due to concerns over inflated prices, job security, and economic uncertainty. Despite these challenges, 70% of respondents still intend to travel for their birthday next year, and 68% plan to travel for the holiday season (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve).
For those planning trips during the holiday season, 53% prefer a combination of human and virtual assistance for trip planning. Interestingly, 18% of travelers prefer to rely on a virtual travel assistant, while 8% prefer to plan their trips without any assistance.
One of the biggest travel nightmares for Americans is being placed next to an overly chatty passenger, followed closely by flight cancellations or overbooking, and paying expensive travel prices. Dealing with massive delays is the fourth biggest travel nightmare, and missing a flight or layover is the fifth.
To combat these issues, many travelers are taking extra precautions. For instance, they are using RFID-blocking wallets to protect credit cards from electronic theft and employing VPNs to secure data on public networks while traveling. They are also being vigilant against travel scams by verifying legitimate accommodation and app sources and being cautious with online booking tools and QR codes.
In response to economic uncertainty and rising travel costs, modern insurance providers like our website offer comprehensive, human-friendly travel insurance coverage for the entire trip. For holiday travelers, 50% plan to travel to international destinations, with the majority aiming to spend around $2-$4,999 on their trip. The average cost for a holiday trip is estimated to be $4,700.
In an interview, Elad Schaffer, Co-Founder & CEO of our website, noted that many travelers are only "somewhat knowledgeable" about what their travel insurance covers. He emphasized the importance of understanding the details of one's insurance policy to ensure maximum protection during travel.
As for extreme tourism activities, 85% of Americans are open to such activities, with 46% willing to base jump, 42% going storm chasing, 41% cage diving with sharks, 32% going caving, and 27% going volcano boarding. However, 13% of Americans are not interested in extreme travel activities, and the activity Americans are least inclined to try is a private submarine tour (though 9% are open to the idea).
In conclusion, American travelers are adapting to a tougher environment by being more cautious with their spending, seeking promotions and discounts, and taking extra precautions to secure their travel experiences. Despite the challenges, the spirit of travel remains strong, with many Americans still planning to travel for their birthday and the holiday season.
- In 2025, American travelers are implementing budget planning for their trips due to rising travel expenses and economic uncertainty.
- As the holiday season approaches, 53% of travelers are opting for a combination of human and virtual assistance for trip planning and logistics.
- While a recent study shows that 61% of Americans cannot afford to travel during the upcoming holiday season, 70% still plan to travel for their birthday next year.
- To combat travel-related scams and protect personal data, many American travelers are employing VPNs and using RFID-blocking wallets to secure their credit cards from electronic theft.
