Vacation Spending Survey Results

TopCashback surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 and older through Prolific, an online research platform that connects researchers with verified survey participants.

Q1. Which age category do you fit into?

• 18-25: 9.14%

• 26-35: 28.94%

• 36-45: 33.07%

• 46-55: 16.66%

• 56-65: 8.60%

• 66+: 3.59%
   

Q2. What is your annual income?

• Under $25,000: 11.74%

• $25,000–$49,999: 19.95%

• $50,000–$74,999: 23.59%

• $75,000–$99,999: 18.13%

• $100,000–$149,999: 17.74%

• $150,000+: 8.85%
   

Q3. What is your gender?

• Female: 54.74%

• Male: 44.28%

• Other: 0.98%
   

Q4. Have you ever spent more money on vacation than you originally planned?

• Yes: 93.61%

• No: 6.39%
   

Q5. How much extra money do you typically spend while on vacation compared to your original budget?

• Less than $100: 7.42%

• $100–$249: 27.14%

• $250–$499: 34.76%

• $500–$999: 22.37%

• $1,000+: 8.31%
   

Q6. Have you ever used credit cards, financing, or “buy now, pay later” services to pay for a vacation?

• Yes: 67.16%

• No: 32.84%
   

Q7. Have you ever opened a new credit card specifically to fund or help pay for a vacation?

• Yes: 24.99%

• No: 75.01%
   

• Yes: 24.94%

• No: 75.06%
   

Q9. What is the biggest vacation purchase you later regretted?

• Luxury hotel: 9.99%

• Shopping: 17.61%

• Dining: 12.44%

• Excursions: 5.85%

• Flights/upgrades: 3.59%

• Nightlife: 6.44%

• Souvenirs: 10.33%

• I rarely regret vacation purchases: 33.74%
   

Q10. Have you ever hidden the true cost of a vacation from a partner, family member, or friend?

• Yes: 27.50%

• No: 72.50%
   

Q11. How long does it typically take you to financially recover from a vacation?

• Immediately: 11.51%

• Less than a week: 5.90%

• 1–2 weeks: 12.30%

• 1 month: 25.53%

• 2–3 months: 29.86%

• 4+ months: 14.90%
   

Q12. How often do you feel guilty about how much you spend on vacation?

• Always: 3.94%

• Frequently: 11.21%

• Sometimes: 42.99%

• Rarely: 30.35%

• Never: 11.51%
   

Q13. To what extent would earning cash back or rewards on travel purchases influence your spending decisions?

• Significantly: 19.54%

• Moderately: 37.40%

• Slightly: 32.78%

• Not at all: 10.29%
   

Q14. Have rising travel costs changed the way you vacation?

• Yes: 77.74%

• No: 22.26%
   

Q15. How have rising travel costs changed the way you vacation? (Select all that apply)

• I travel less often: 82.90%

• I spend less while traveling: 50.54%

• I use rewards/points more strategically: 25.97%
   

Q16. How do you try to keep vacation spending under control? (Select all that apply)

• Setting a vacation budget beforehand: 58.87%

• Booking flights/hotels in advance: 65.86%

• Using cash back: 27.44%

• Using travel rewards: 35.02%

• Comparing prices before purchasing: 70.69%

• Tracking spending during the trip: 47.83%

• Traveling during off-peak times: 43.25%

• I usually do not actively track or control vacation spending: 3.65%
   

Q17. Would you rather:

• Take one luxury vacation per year: 31.77%

• Take multiple lower-cost vacations per year: 68.23%
   

Q18. Have you ever felt financial stress or anxiety after returning from a vacation?

• Yes: 66.24%

• No: 33.76%
   

Q19. When on vacation, how likely are you to spend money on things you would normally avoid buying at home?

• Very likely: 25.41%

• Somewhat likely: 60.73%

• Somewhat unlikely: 10.46%

• Very unlikely: 3.40%
   

Q20. What are you most likely to overspend on while on vacation?

• Food and dining: 47.98%

• Hotels/resorts: 7.90%

• Flights/upgrades: 1.78%

• Shopping: 19.20%

• Experiences/excursions: 17.13%

• Nightlife/drinks: 5.08%

• Transportation: 0.94%
   

Q21. Which everyday items are you most likely to spend more on while on vacation than you normally would at home? (Select all that apply)

• Bottled water: 37.63%

• Coffee/drinks: 53.09%

• Snacks: 53.14%

• Sunscreen or toiletries: 19.65%

• Last-minute travel essentials (chargers, headphones, adapters, etc.): 38.86%

• Convenience purchases at airports/hotels: 44.44%

• Branded or luxury beauty products: 12.64%

• I don’t typically spend more on everyday items while traveling: 7.36%
   

Q22. Which vacation splurges are you most likely to justify while traveling? (Select all that apply)

• Room service: 20.35%

• Hotel breakfast: 23.75%

• Excursions or tours: 48.20%

• Flight or hotel upgrades: 16.59%

• Spa treatments: 17.28%

• Fancy dinners: 56.40%

• Souvenirs: 41.83%

• Extra drinks/nightlife: 33.63%

• Convenience spending to “make the trip easier”: 40.59%

• I rarely splurge on vacation: 2.81%