Al Jazeera: 45% skipping holidays

Al Jazeera reported on July 8 that the U.S. summer travel season was slowing as airfare and fuel costs rose, citing weaker airport traffic over the July 4 weekend and survey data showing more households staying home. The outlet said more than 7.3 million people passed through Transportation Security Administration checkpoints during the three-day holiday period, down 2.3% from the same stretch a year earlier. It linked the pullback to higher travel costs as fuel markets remained volatile after renewed tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran. ### Where does the 45% figure come from? Al Jazeera said the 45% figure came from a recent joint NPR, PBS News and Marist College poll measuring whether Americans planned to take a holiday during the summer travel season. The report said that share represented a 2 percentage-point decline from the same time last year. (aljazeera.com) The same Al Jazeera report placed that number alongside softer holiday-weekend checkpoint traffic, suggesting the survey result was already showing up in real travel volumes. During July 3-5, TSA screening totaled 7,369,239 passengers, compared with 7,543,580 a year earlier, according to the figures reproduced in the article. (aljazeera.com) ### What costs are pushing travelers to change plans? The U.S. Department of Labor’s inflation data, as cited by Al Jazeera, showed airfares had risen 8.2% since February. The article also said United Airlines warned in April that it would have to raise prices by as much as 20% because of higher fuel costs, while American Airlines trimmed some August and September routes. (aljazeera.com) Omnisend said on July 8 that its June survey of 1,075 U.S. consumers found gas prices were the most-cited pressure point, named by 46% of respondents who had changed plans. Groceries and everyday bills followed at 29%, while hotel or vacation-rental costs were cited by 24% and food costs while traveling by 18%, according to the company. (aljazeera.com) ### How many people are downgrading or canceling trips? Omnisend said 47% of surveyed U.S. consumers had postponed, shortened, downgraded or entirely canceled a summer trip because of cost. The company said 59% still had summer travel plans, but only 17% were taking what it described as a major trip involving flights or paid lodging. (prnewswire.com) The same survey said 21% were taking a shorter or cheaper trip than originally planned, 20% were sticking to day trips or local outings, and 14% planned to stay home altogether. Marty Bauer, an ecommerce expert at Omnisend, said households were not abandoning vacations outright but were looking for breaks that fit tighter budgets. (prnewswire.com) ### Where is the money going instead? Omnisend said 29% of people spending less on travel this year needed the money for essentials. Among those cutting travel budgets, 47% said the savings were going to groceries, 28% to rent or mortgage payments, and 23% to debt repayment. (prnewswire.com) Bauer said the tradeoff had shifted from optional purchases to basic household needs. He said families were deciding whether travel money would be better spent on food, bills or debt before deciding where to go. ### Is this only a collapse in travel demand? Deloitte said in its 2026 summer travel survey that 45% of Americans were still planning vacations with stays in paid lodging, though it described affordability as a major concern. (prnewswire.com) That survey, based on 4,003 Americans polled in April, pointed to a market in which some travelers were staying home while others were still willing to spend despite higher prices. KPMG and JPMorgan also described a more budget-conscious traveler this summer, though neither source matched the specific 45% “skipping holidays” figure cited by Al Jazeera. Their findings add context to a season in which travel demand has not disappeared but is being reshaped by price pressure. ### What should readers watch next? August and September route changes at American Airlines, which Al Jazeera said were tied to fuel costs, will offer one near-term test of whether carriers see softer demand continuing into late summer. (deloitte.com) Omnisend said its U.S. findings were based on a June 2026 survey with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, and the company published the results on July 8. (aljazeera.com) (jpmorgan.com)