According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, earlier concerns about COVID-19, gas prices, inflation and airfares have declined significantly.  The percentage of travelers who report that COVID-19, gas prices, inflation and airfares will greatly impact their travel plans in the next six months are all at their lowest levels this year – 10% for COVID-19, 20% for gas prices and 22% for inflation and airfares.

“Barring any unanticipated events, we predict holiday and winter travel will be robust,” said Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International. “Traveler sentiment is at its most positive level since the beginning of the pandemic.”

Forty-nine percent of travelers will be traveling with their spouse or significant other on their upcoming holiday trips, and 43% will be on the road with their family including children.  Seventeen percent will be accompanied by extended family members, and 19% will be traveling with friends.

The survey, supported by Miles Partnership, was fielded October 11, 2023 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.