AARP Hearing Center
Whether visiting family, sightseeing, or seeking a peaceful getaway, older adults age 50-plus love to travel, and many are doing so with a disability, physical condition, chronic health issue, or other age-related condition, an AARP Research survey finds. Many others are accompanying someone else with a disability or condition.
While age-related chronic or disabling issues pose mobility and other challenges, that doesn’t necessarily stop these avid travelers from seeking out new destinations. (Even among those whose conditions prevent travel, almost half indicate an interest in future travel.) It does, however, mean 55% are making changes to how they travel, and 45% are traveling less frequently than they would like.
A significant portion of the travel population (29%) are traveling with a disability or conditions that make travel difficult, with mobility challenges most often cited (67%). Most report the condition as having either a moderate (53%) or minor (34%) impact on their ability to travel with ease. The research focused on U.S. adults 50-plus who identify as a person with conditions that make travel difficult (collectively conditions) or the travel companion of someone with such conditions.
The report identifies some clear trends, including challenges and solutions, and offers insights into the implications not only for older adults but also the travel industry.
Seeking accommodations
To minimize travel headaches, people are making conscious choices concerning their itineraries. Transportation and movement during activities at a destination are the most difficult aspects of travel, with few citing difficulties with planning or booking travel.
More than half (66%) change where they go for leisure, opting to remain closer to home or seeking out destinations that require less walking. With mobility a key concern, these travelers are relying more heavily on cars (48%), taking shorter trips (49%), or using a wheelchair (37%). Camping isn’t as popular a retreat and multistop journeys are also less likely, the study found.
Hauling luggage is among the most burdensome issues facing these voyagers both at airports and in hotels. Among those flying, dealing with luggage onboard a plane is an issue for half of these travelers and 36% say they struggle with their bags once they have arrived at their destination.
Accommodations while flying
The hassle of flying can leave travelers worn out. Security scrutiny, long lines, lengthy corridors, crowded boarding, impatient deboarding, and unclear announcements all create challenges for those with challenges in mobility, hearing, or anxiety.
From an industry perspective, among the most helpful solutions identified in the report are special ticketing lines (54%), more access to wheelchairs (52%), and special TSA screening lines to shorten wait times (60%). Most (49%) want the ability to self-identify as someone who needs accommodations, with those travelers dealing with anxiety and hearing loss even more likely to want this in place (69% and 54% respectively).
Methodology
The online survey of U.S. adults ages 50-plus who identify as a person with conditions that make travel difficult or the travel companion of someone with such conditions, was fielded June 11–18, 2024. The 15-minute questionnaire included 750 travelers and 250 nontravelers (defined as those who will not travel for leisure in the next year).
For more information, please contact Laura Skufca at lskufca@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.
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