Holiday Travel Is About Getting Together, Not Getting Away

Family is the primary motivation 

Nearly 1 in 4 adults 50-plus (24%) expect to travel during the holiday season. Among those travelers, 67% say spending time with family is a primary motivation, compared with 27% who want to get away from everyday life and 25% who want to relax. 

More than half of adults 50-plus (52%) say holiday travel is worthwhile when loved ones can gather in one place. Others value making memories across generations (35%), reconnecting with people they do not see often (32%), and maintaining family traditions (29%). 

Travelers make room for rising costs 

Cost is the leading travel concern, cited by 52%. Still, 37% of holiday travelers expect to spend more than last year, 43% expect to spend at least $2,000, and 18% expect to spend $5,000 or more. Nearly four in 10 (38%) expect to spend more on travel than on holiday gifts. 

Traditions keep people connected 

One-third of adults 50-plus (34%) typically host family or friends during the holidays, while 28% either travel to see loved ones every year or alternate between traveling and hosting. The findings show that connection and tradition remain central to holiday travel decisions. 

Methodology

Interviews were conducted September 17 to 21, 2026, among 1,023 U.S. adults 50 and older in the Foresight 50+ Omnibus. Funded and operated by NORC at the University of Chicago, Foresight 50+ by AARP and NORC is a probability-based panel designed to represent the U.S. household population age 50 or older. Interviews were conducted online and via telephone. Data were weighted by age, sex, education, race/ethnicity, region, and AARP membership to be nationally representative of U.S. adults 50 and older.

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