Travel That Sticks: Early Planning, Smarter Choices, and Family-Driven Trips Shape the 50-Plus Traveler

Travel remains a priority for Americans age 50-plus — and in 2026, it’s evolving in meaningful ways. The 2026 Travel Trends study explores how older adults are planning, prioritizing and paying for travel in a shifting economic and cultural landscape, revealing a traveler who is both resilient and strategic. 

Despite cost concerns, nearly two-thirds of adults 50-plus plan to travel in 2026, with anticipated trip volume on the rise. Rather than pulling back, travelers are adapting — planning earlier, comparison shopping, and leaning on loyalty programs and digital tools to stretch their travel dollars. Notably, use of AI for travel planning has grown, particularly for finding deals and customizing itineraries. 

Family remains at the heart of leisure travel. Family and multigenerational trips continue to be among the most common — and most meaningful — types of travel, valued for strengthening bonds, creating shared memories and even helping manage costs and caregiving needs. These trips are often annual traditions, bringing multiple generations together around a single destination. 

At the same time, interest in international travel is rebounding, with bucket list experiences, cultural immersion and heritage travel shaping destination choices. Travelers are committing early, often finalizing international plans well in advance. 

Importantly, the research underscores that health considerations and accessibility needs do not deter travel among the 50-plus population — they shape how people travel, not whether they do.   

For the travel industry, policymakers and media, the 2026 findings offer a clear takeaway: the 50-plus traveler is engaged, intentional and increasingly influential, making this audience essential to understand in the year ahead. 

Methodology

The study is based on an online survey of 2,051 U.S. adults age 18 and older who have taken at least one trip within the past two years, 50 miles or more away from home, with at least a two-night stay; used an online travel site within the past two years; and had an intent to travel for personal pleasure (non-business) in 2026. The survey was conducted from November 11 to December 15, 2025. Results were weighted to demographically represent a U.S. traveler as defined in the screener by age cohort.

For more information, please contact Lona Choi-Allum at lallum@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.