Is 2022 the year of ‘revenge travel’ in U.S.?

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)- Gas prices have leveled off but are still causing Americans to spend more money to get around. Americans will pay more for road trips and flights this summer too. Yet approximately 81% or 208 million American adults expect to travel, based on a survey from The Vacationer.

Pre-pandemic, approximately 100 million Americans were going on a family vacation in 2019. Up from 88 million in 2018, according to AAA. The Vacationer survey shows Americans are ready to start traveling it up in 2022, 42% said they will travel more this year than in 2021.

Some aren’t waiting until the summer. The number of flights, tours, car rentals, and hotels booked between March and May to warm, sunny locales like Florida, Hawaii, and Mexico are up 211% compared to 2021. They are also up 10% from 2019, said AAA.

When asked about summer travel plans by The Vacationer, Americans in the Mid-Atlantic region, including New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania responded similarly to Americans throughout the U.S. Check out how both groups responded to the questions below:

Do you plan on traveling this summer?	Mid-Atlantic region	U.S. total
One time	42.77%	36.04%
More than once	38.15%	44.80%
No	19.08%	19.16%
Where will you travel this summer?
I won’t travel	17.92%	19.62%
Within the U.S. only	58.38%	59.95%
Internationally only	8.67%	6.66%
Both in the U.S. and internationally	15.03%	13.78%
How much traveling will you do this summer compared to last summer?
More than summer 2021	41.62%	42.06%
Same as summer 2021	44.51%	46.08%
Less than summer 2021	13.87%	11.86%
Will you travel on a plane this summer?
One time	31.79%	28.10%
More than once	19.08%	22.72%
No	49.13%	49.18%
Will you take a road trip this summer?
No	22.54%	20.07%
Within 100 miles of home	21.39%	18.70%
Within 250 miles of home	24.28%	21.35%
Within 500 miles of home	16.76%	21.53%
Within 1,000 miles of home	8.67%	11.59%
More than 1,000 miles from home	6.36%	6.75%

“Many people thought last summer was the year of ‘Revenge Travel’ when only 25% of people in our survey said they would travel more once COVID was over. However, the data suggests summer 2022 will be when more Americans get revenge,” The Vacationer said.

The survey also found that 28.10% plan on flying at least once over the summer and 22.72% said they plan to fly more than once. Americans traveling this summer should start planning, said AAA. They said to make reservations early, get travel insurance, carry proof of COVID-19 vaccinations, bring hand sanitizer or disinfecting wipes, and face masks.