Americans average $7,257 on travel

Americans spent an average $7,257 per trip in the first three months of 2026, according to travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth, a record in its 23-year dataset. (squaremouth.com) Squaremouth said that average was up 3.6% from the first quarter of 2025, or about $255 more per trip. The company said post-pandemic travel spending has surged 43% in two years. (squaremouth.com) The same report said demand for Cancel For Any Reason coverage rose 29% in the quarter as travelers reacted to government shutdowns, extreme weather, geopolitical unrest and military conflicts. (squaremouth.com) Squaremouth also said 34% of travelers skipped standard cancellation protection even as trip costs hit a record. Its data showed 67% of senior travelers and 88% of adventure travelers were underinsured. (squaremouth.com) The spending jump is colliding with higher airline fuel costs. CNBC reported U.S. jet fuel prices rose from $2.50 a gallon on Feb. 27 to $4.88 on April 2 after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. (cnbc.com) CNBC said the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has choked off supplies of crude and refined products, pushing airlines to consider cutting overseas flights. United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby said the carrier would have to cut back some Asia service. (cnbc.com) CBS News reported on April 17 that Delta Air Lines cut four summer routes, including New York John F. Kennedy International Airport to Memphis and Detroit to Reykjavik, while Air Canada cut some Toronto and Montreal flights to New York. (cbsnews.com) AAA said on Feb. 27 that 39% of U.S. adults planned to take more vacations in 2026 than in 2025, and 58% expected to take multiple trips this year. That helps explain why higher prices have not yet stopped demand. (aaa.com) The result is a summer travel market where Americans are still booking, but they are doing it at record trip costs and with airlines facing a much more expensive fuel bill. (squaremouth.com) (cnbc.com)