Winter Travel Survey 2025: More Than 50% of Americans Plan to Travel This Winter Despite Rising Costs

Despite rising costs and economic uncertainty, 54% of Americans are planning to travel this winter season, whether chasing warm weather, reuniting with family, or hitting the slopes. However, economic realities are forcing nearly half to adjust their plans, with Millennials hit hardest as 33% scale back trips and 17% cancel entirely.

This winter's travel landscape reveals a nation divided by generation and geography. While Millennials lead all age groups in travel plans and remote work adoption, older Americans prioritize family visits or staying home altogether. This comprehensive survey of US adults uncovers how Americans are navigating winter travel in 2025 and what's driving their decisions.

Key Takeaways:

• 54% of Americans plan to travel this winter with Millennials leading all age groups
• 40% of Millennials expect to increase travel in 2026
• Of those traveling this winter, 40% plan to travel domestically
• 44% of winter travelers are visiting family and friends (the most cited reason to travel this winter)
• While 51% kept their travel plans unchanged despite rising costs, Millennials were hit hardest: 33% scaled back trips and 17% canceled entirely
• 56% of winter travelers blending work with trips (36% full-time remote, 20% part-time)
• 29% experienced unexpected roaming charges (rises to 45% for Gen Z, 42% for Millennials)

The Travel Landscape: Who's Going and Who's Staying Home

This winter, 40% of Americans are planning domestic trips, while 13% are venturing internationally. However, a significant portion (54%) plan to stay home, revealing a clear generational and regional divide in travel behavior. The generational gap is striking: Millennials emerge as the most adventurous cohort, with 54% planning domestic travel and 22% heading abroad. Gen Z follows closely with 44% traveling domestically and 19% internationally. In sharp contrast, older Americans are largely staying put: 68% of Boomers and 64% of the Silent Generation plan to remain home this winter.

Regional variations remain pronounced, with Northeasterners (57%) and Southerners (57%) most likely to skip winter travel altogether. The West stands out as the most travel-eager region, with 50% planning domestic trips and 21% heading abroad; nearly triple the Midwest's international travel rate of just 8%.

Where Americans Are Heading

For those packing their bags, destinations fall into clear categories:

Family first: 44% of winter travelers are heading to visit family and friends, making it the top travel choice. This priority is especially strong among older generations: 63% of Silent Generation and 50% of Boomers are traveling primarily for family visits, compared to just 26% of Millennials. The Midwest leads regionally, with 48% prioritizing family visits.

Chasing warmth: 44% are seeking warm destinations to escape the cold, particularly popular among Millennials (54%) and Northeasterners (49%) who are eager to trade snow for sunshine. Interestingly, Boomers (34%) are less likely to chase warm weather than younger generations.

Urban escapes and adventure: 26% plan to explore major cities, a trend dominated by younger travelers. Millennials (33%) and Gen Z (32%) show the strongest interest in urban destinations, compared to just 4% of the Silent Generation. Cold and ski destinations attract 25% of travelers overall, but appeal most to Gen Z (35%) and Millennials (29%), while holding little interest for older generations (just 8% of Boomers and Silent Generation combined).

International hotspots: Europe draws 11% of travelers, Mexico and the Caribbean 10%, and Southeast Asia 6%. Europe is particularly popular with Millennials (17%), while the Mexico/Caribbean region appeals most to those aged 29-43 (14%).

Remote Work Reshapes Winter Travel

The digital nomad lifestyle continues to gain traction, but it's mainly a young person's game. Among winter travelers, 36% plan to work remotely full-time while away, and another 20% will work a few days during their trip; meaning 56% are blending work with winter getaways.

The generational divide is dramatic: A remarkable 52% of Millennial travelers plan to work full-time remotely, compared to 38% of both Gen Z and Gen X. Expectedly, the trend drops significantly for older generations: just 6% of Boomers and essentially no Silent Generation travelers plan remote work.

This trend is strongest in the Northeast, where 43% of travelers plan full-time remote work, suggesting that coastal professionals are leading the charge in location-independent work arrangements.

Motivation Matters: Why Americans Travel

When asked about their primary motivation, Americans revealed clear age-related patterns:

Family visits dominate for older travelers: 38% overall travel to visit family or friends, but this surges to 63% for the Silent Generation and 50% for Boomers. In contrast, only 26% of Millennials cite family as their main motivation: they're more interested in experiencing new cultures (12%) and winter activities (15%).

Relaxation appeals broadly: 22% travel to relax and unwind at beaches or resorts, remaining relatively consistent across age groups.

Adventure seeking youth: Gen Z stands out with 20% traveling primarily to explore new cultures or destinations, double the rate of Gen X (7%). Winter sports like skiing and snowboarding attract 10% overall, but account for 15% of Millennial travel motivations while barely registering with Boomers (3%).

Work travel accounts for just 3% of winter trips overall, though this rises to 5% for Millennials and 6% in the Western states.

The Cost of Living Impact

Economic pressures are reshaping travel plans significantly, with younger generations feeling the pinch most acutely. While 51% overall say their plans remain unchanged, the impact varies dramatically by age:

Millennials face the toughest choices: 33% are scaling back their trips, and 17% have canceled travel completely; the highest cancellation rate of any generation. Gen Z follows closely with 36% scaling back and 18% canceling.

Older travelers show resilience: In contrast, 71% of the Silent Generation and 62% of Boomers report their plans are unchanged. This stability likely reflects both greater financial security and lower baseline travel expectations.

Regional patterns also emerge. Northeasterners (18%) and Southerners (17%) are most likely to have canceled trips entirely, while Westerners show more resilience, with only 11% canceling despite that region's typically higher cost of living.

Interestingly, 5% report they're actually spending more this year, led by Gen Z (7%), Millennials (5%), and Westerners (7%), suggesting some travelers are prioritizing experiences despite economic headwinds.

Decision-Making: What Drives Destination Choice

When selecting where to go, Americans prioritize different factors based on life stage:

Cost matters most across the board: 27% cite cost of flights and travel as their biggest factor, rising to 32% for Gen X and Midwesterners. Notably, cost concerns remain high even among Boomers (25%).

Family location increases with age: Overall, 26% prioritize family and friends' location, but this surges to 52% for the Silent Generation and 30% for Boomers, compared to just 20-21% for younger generations.

Weather is consistent: 16% prioritize weather across most demographics, though only 8% of the Silent Generation consider it a top factor.

Safety concerns peak in youth: 18% of Gen Z cite safety as their biggest factor, the highest of any generation, compared to 11-13% for other age groups.

Activities appeal to youth: 17% of Millennials and 13% of Gen Z prioritize available activities, compared to just 5-8% of older generations.

2026 Travel Outlook

Despite current economic headwinds, Americans remain cautiously optimistic about future travel, with age and gender playing significant roles:

Young travelers are bullish: 40% of Millennials expect to travel more in 2026, followed by 33% of Gen Z. This optimism naturally fades with age: only 14% of Boomers and 8% of the Silent Generation expect to travel more.

Regional optimism peaks in the West: 34% of Western residents expect to travel more in 2026, compared to just 21-22% in other regions.

Spending projections mirror this sentiment. Millennials lead with 41% planning to increase travel budgets in 2026, followed by Gen Z (31%) and men (34%). In contrast, 38% of the Silent Generation plan to spend less on travel next year, the highest rate of any demographic.

Staying Connected: The Mobile Data Challenge

For international travelers, staying connected reveals both generational preferences and widespread frustrations.

Importance of instant connectivity: 48% consider mobile data access "very important" the moment they land. This peaks among Millennials (56%), Gen X (52%), and Gen Z (51%), while dropping to just 29% for the Silent Generation. Western travelers are most connectivity-focused at 53%.

The unexpected charges problem: A striking 29% of Americans have experienced unexpected roaming charges, but the rates are dramatically higher among younger travelers. Gen Z leads with 45% having faced surprise bills (27% once, 18% multiple times), followed by Millennials at 42% (27% once, 15% multiple times). Men are also more likely to have encountered unexpected charges (38%) compared to women (19%).

Among older travelers, 90% of Boomers and 92% of the Silent Generation have never experienced roaming charges; largely because they've never traveled internationally.

Connectivity solutions vary by generation: Among international travelers planning winter trips:

• eSIM leads among Millennials: 31% of Millennials choose eSIM technology compared to just 17% of Gen Z and 9% or less for older generations.
• US carrier roaming remains popular: 45% overall rely on US carrier roaming plans, particularly Gen X (57%) and Boomers (36%).
• Local SIM cards appeal to Gen Z: 33% of Gen Z travelers choose local SIM cards; nearly double the rate of Millennials (15%).
• WiFi reliance increases with age: Just 3-10% of younger travelers rely solely on WiFi, but this jumps to 45% of Boomers and 67% of the Silent Generation.

Spending patterns reflect travel experience: Americans spend an average of $79.70 per international trip on mobile data, but this varies widely. Millennials spend the most at $98.10, followed by men ($93.50) and Northeasterners ($97). Gen Z, despite being digital natives, spends less ($75.60), while the Silent Generation averages just $31.60. Notably, 42% of Americans have never traveled internationally, rising to 46% in the South and Midwest, and reaching 65% among Boomers.

What matters when choosing connectivity: The priorities are clear:

• Coverage and reliability: 31% prioritize signal quality, rising to 37% in the West and 34% for Gen X
• Cost: 30% seek the cheapest option, particularly women (33%) and Midwesterners (34%)
• Convenience: 15% want easy setup, especially Millennials (20%) and Gen Z (18%)
• Habit: 13% stick with familiar providers, increasing with age (20% of Silent Generation)

Winter Travel Takeaways

Winter 2025 travel reflects an American population deeply divided by generation, with economic realities, technological adoption, and life priorities creating distinct travel personas.

Millennials emerge as the winter travel leaders: most likely to travel internationally, work remotely while away, seek adventure, and embrace new connectivity technologies like eSIM. Yet they're also feeling economic pressures most acutely, with the highest rates of cancellations and cutbacks.

Gen Z is travel-curious but constrained, showing high interest in urban destinations, winter sports, and international travel, but facing budget limitations that force many to stay home or scale back plans.

Older generations prioritize family connections over adventure, with Boomers and the Silent Generation largely staying home or traveling primarily to visit loved ones. When they do travel, they prefer familiar solutions and show less interest in remote work or cutting-edge connectivity options.

Gender gaps persist, with men significantly more likely to travel, work remotely while away, and spend more on trips; suggesting that flexibility and resources for winter travel remain unequally distributed.

Stay Connected With Nomad eSIM

No matter where your winter travels take you, staying connected is essential for navigating new places, coordinating with family, and capturing unforgettable moments.

With a Nomad eSIM, you can enjoy reliable data without the hassle of physical SIM cards, making it easy to find family-friendly restaurants, get directions to attractions, and keep everyone connected on the go. This convenience adds to the ease and enjoyment of your travels.

Methodology

This survey was conducted in October 2025 by Talker Research among 1,000 US adults, balanced to US Census demographics.