American Travel Sentiment Wave 110

According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, 74% of them are planning a fall day trip or overnight trip in the coming months.  Of those fall travelers, 48% report that visiting friends and family is the primary purpose of their trips, followed by enjoying cooler weather and seasonal scenery, both at 35%.

“The fall road trip is an American institution, and the intent to travel this fall is strong,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International.  “However, concerns about the economy, gas prices and inflation are lingering among American travelers.”

Half of travelers (51%) who are planning fall trips cite financial constraints and travel costs as factors which may limit their travel plans this fall, while 32% point to economic uncertainty as a limiting factor.  To cope with high gas prices for travel in the next six months, 40% of American travelers are choosing destinations closer to home, and 37% are reducing the number of trips they plan to take.

The survey, supported by Miles Partnership, was fielded August 4-7, 2026, using a national sample randomly drawn from a consumer panel of 1,000 adults, ages 18 and over.  Quotas were used to match Census targets for age, gender, and region to make the survey representative of the U.S. population.