AARP Travel Survey: Family Connection Remains a Holiday Priority as Older Adults Navigate Higher Costs

WASHINGTON — For many adults 50-plus, holiday travel is less about taking a vacation and more about staying connected with family, according to new AARP research. As travel costs place added pressure on household budgets, many older adults are carefully weighing expenses and making tradeoffs because time with loved ones remains a priority.

Cost is shaping those decisions. More than one-third (37%) of holiday travelers expect to spend more on holiday travel than they did last year, and two in five respondents (43%) anticipate spending at least $2,000 on holiday-related travel.

Family remains the driving force behind holiday travel decisions. Two-thirds (67%) of holiday travelers say spending time with family is their main reason for traveling, while only one in four (27%) say to get away from everyday, normal life (27%) or to relax and rejuvenate (25%).

“The holidays are an important time for families to be together, and older adults are finding thoughtful ways to make those trips possible,” said Carey Kyler, Sr. Director of Research & Insights at AARP Services, Inc. “Costs are a real concern, so many are planning carefully and making tradeoffs to spend meaningful time with the people they love.”

The findings show how adults 50-plus are balancing the importance of family connection with real financial pressures:

• Half (52%) cite cost as their biggest travel concern, while one-third (36)% are concerned about flight delays.
• Nearly four in ten holiday travelers (38%) expect to spend more on travel than on holiday gifts.
• Three in ten adults 50-plus (29%) say maintaining family traditions would make holiday travel worthwhile.
• One-third (34%) typically host family or friends at home during the holidays, while 28% either travel to see loved ones every year or alternate between hosting and traveling.
• Many adults 50-plus continue to prioritize family travel, even as they carefully manage higher expenses.
• Nearly one in five (18%) expect to spend $5,000 or more.

Interviews were conducted from September 17-21, 2026 among 1,023 U.S. adults age 50 and older in the Foresight 50+ Omnibus, a probability-based panel funded and operated by NORC at the University of Chicago. Interviews were conducted online and by phone, and data were weighted to reflect the U.S. population age 50 and older.  View the full survey results.

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About AARP

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.

Media Contact:

Danny Alarcon: dalarcon@aarp.org