A shift towards value in vacation choices marks 2025 for American travelers, who, while maintaining the desire for fun and relaxation as their top vacation motivation, are nevertheless influenced by the current economic situation, developing more sensitive reflexes to prices.
As revealed in the annual Savvy Traveler Guide survey by the hotel and price search platform trivago, which was conducted on a sample of 3,000 American travelers, price is the number one factor in booking travel services and accommodations.
In addition to the cost of the vacation, cleanliness, comfort and location emerge as their top criteria, indicative of their preference to evaluate quality over cost.
American travelers plan to take one to two vacation trips within the next 12 months, mainly within the United States. The summer season is already showing encouraging signs, with domestic travel up 8% year-over-year and international travel up 19%.
American travelers save money for their vacations year-round and often use loyalty programs to do so. Hotels remain the dominant type of accommodation for them, with 44% being members of a loyalty program, almost double the percentage of those who are members of a similar online travel service program. This shows a trend of increasing trust in recognized brands that reward numerous stays.
When planning a vacation, most Americans use search engines and word-of-mouth. Price search engines have fallen to 5th place in popularity, but travel booking apps and social media remain stable in their preferences, even if traditional tools show a gradual decline in use.
Millennial Americans are planning their vacations more strategically, placing greater value on cancellation flexibility, security, and loyalty program benefits. Gen Z, on the other hand, prefer experiential travel, especially music festivals, and are increasingly choosing rental accommodations for their overseas vacations.
International destinations showing an increase in searches by Americans include Tokyo (+40%), Dubai (+25%), and Antalya (+16%).
