Summer used to mean one thing: escaping the everyday grind for a much-needed tropical vacation (or for some, a city roaming adventure). But this year feels fundamentally different, and we all know why (hint hint, it has to do with what took place in November 2024).
As families across the country start planning their getaways, a harsh new reality is setting in. In Trump’s America, that dream vacation is a luxury that fewer can justify. In other words, affordable travel is slipping away and a lot of us are feeling it firsthand.
Now I know what you may be thinking: I see people traveling all the time across my social media feeds. Well, according to a recent LendingTree survey, that’s not actually the case. More than half of Americans are scaling back their travel plans, not because they don’t want to explore the world, but because they simply can’t afford to anymore. We’ve become a nation caught between wanderlust and financial survival, so the influencers you may see on TikTok and Instagram are not representing the majority who struggle with finances and can’t prioritize travel this year.
Most people blame soaring travel costs for making vacations feel out of reach. And honestly? Same. I’m not going to lie, as an avid traveler (and one who wants to feel like I’m actually enjoying myself rather than sticking to a tight budget when I travel), I’ve even felt these hits myself. And for many others, the sticker shock of flights, hotels, and dining has changed what once felt like accessible luxury into a significant financial decision.
What’s particularly heartbreaking is watching an entire generation get priced out of experiences their parents took for granted. I have a sister in her early 30s, and also nieces and nephews in their 20s who won’t get the same opportunity to roam as freely the way we were able to 5-10 years ago when there were flight deals, and opportunity hacks galore (does anyone remember the $175 Dubai flight deal that dropped on Christmas from Christmas 2014?!) Young Americans, already drowning in student debt and struggling with housing costs, are finding travel increasingly impossible. Meanwhile, older generations with more established wealth can still afford to jet off, widening yet another gap in American society.
For families, the math just isn’t mathing. When you’re looking at the cost of four plane tickets instead of two, when you need family suites instead of standard rooms, that “affordable” vacation quickly becomes a mortgage payment. Parents are having to explain to their kids why this summer will be different or why the annual trip isn’t happening. It may just be a summer camp and chill kind of summer (though even the cost of summer camp has gone up drastically, as well!)
Then there’s the tariff nightmare. Trade policies that were supposed to put America first are instead keeping Americans home. The uncertainty alone is enough to make people postpone major expenses, but the actual impact on travel costs is making international trips feel like pipe dreams.
“Prices are still high for so many things, and many Americans are concerned the implementation of tariffs will only make things worse,” says Matt Schulz, LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst. “Those concerns are spurring many people to proceed with caution, delaying bigger expenses such as vacations until things seem more steady.”
The result? We’re becoming an increasingly insular nation by economic necessity. Americans are choosing domestic destinations not out of patriotism, but because they have no choice. That European adventure is now financially out of reach for most, thanks to both a weaker dollar and policies that have made everything more expensive.
The American dream used to include the freedom to roam. Now, for too many, it’s just the dream of keeping the lights on and the rent paid. And with the rent too damn high, best believe we’ll be enjoying indoors (and good AC) this summer.