As Vacation Season Heats Up, Many Americans Are Feeling Stressed Over Travel Planning

With the arrival of May comes impending vacation plans for the upcoming summer season. CivicScience data show it’s already shaping up to be a busy one, as 43% of U.S. adults are planning at least one trip in the next three months, and another 18% are still deciding. Parents with children under 18 are even more likely to travel – 58% say they’re looking to take at least one vacation in the next 90 days.

While vacation is associated with rest and relaxation, new CivicScience data show travel generates a fair amount of stress, which disproportionately affects some groups of consumers more than others.

When it comes to planning and booking, 71% of U.S. adults who make travel arrangements say the process is at least somewhat stressful for them. This percentage jumps to 78% among parents with children under 18 and 77% among moms. 

Weigh In: Do you find traveling to be stressful or fun?

That could be because moms, in particular, appear to handle much of the burden when it comes to planning family vacations. When asked who typically does the majority of the booking for travel plans in their household, 69% of U.S. moms (aged 18+) said ‘myself,’ compared to 61% of the general traveling population. 

For those who are planning a vacation, the type of travel can impact the amount of stress someone experiences. Additional CivicScience data show that the runaway options Americans will be utilizing to get to their destinations will either be via car (58%) or plane (44%). Despite recent incidents involving Boeing aircraft, the majority still feel safe flying. That said, safety isn’t the only potential source of stress for those traveling by air.

Chief stressors associated with flying are airport procedures, the possibility of flight issues like delays or cancellations, and the cost of tickets (in that order). Parents of school-aged children are less likely to be stressed about cancellations or delays and airport procedures, but booking the tickets and preparing for the trip are greater sources of anxiety for them than for the Gen Pop.

Given the high level of concern surrounding the current cost of airline tickets for travelers, how willing are consumers to sacrifice comfort or convenience to stay within their budget? Nearly two-thirds say they are likely to consider less favorable options in order to save money (excluding those unsure). Parents of children under 18, meanwhile, are as much as 12 points more likely to be open to less comfortable options in order to stay on budget. 

Take Our Poll: What do you think of the idea of staying in a budget hotel to save money while traveling?

As travel plans begin to form, travel-related stressors and financial concerns are likely to impact how people will vacation this year, especially among parents and moms, as moms tend to be the key decision-makers when it comes to planning family vacations. Americans look to be balancing the costs, possibly by making sacrifices to fit within budgets and managing stressors associated with the booking process itself. Perhaps forgoing alcohol on those trips can mitigate some of that stress. 

Want to see more of the consumer mindset ahead of summer travel and explore more in-depth travel insights? The CivicScience InsightStore database of over 500K crossable questions can keep you ahead of the game with actionable insights and data. See it in action.