Summary
Wealthier households, earning over $100,000, are dominating holiday travel this year, making up 45% of travelers and over half of paid lodging customers, according to Deloitte.
Rising costs, including airfare and luxury accommodations, have priced out lower-income households, whose travel participation has declined.
Affluent travelers are driving demand for premium experiences, with high-end destinations seeing significant price increases. Meanwhile, budget-conscious travelers are cutting costs by staying with family or using credit to fund trips.
Inflation continues to strain travel budgets across income levels, with 29% of travelers expecting to take on debt.
Over $100,000 isn’t exactly wealthy anymore. Under $100,000, in some areas, is a real struggle. The poverty line for a family of four if $31,000. You’d have to get pretty far past that to consider traveling for leisure.