Summer travel season is in full swing – and it’s wrecking budgets and relationships

For many, summer vacation is the highlight of the year. But what happens when dreams of sandy beaches clash with rising prices and the pressure to post?

To find out, Casinos Analyzer surveyed 1,500 Americans about their travel habits, splurges, and secrets. The results paint a picture of travelers willing to go broke, stretch the truth, or stay in a relationship just to get away.

Key insights

• 58% are staying local this summer, while just 6% are going overseas. Financial anxiety, inflation, and shifting priorities are reshaping how we travel.
   
• 1 in 5 skipped rent or medical bills to afford a getaway, and 35% went into debt for a trip – most used credit cards or borrowed from friends.
   
• Almost half went on vacation, hoping it would fix their relationship. Another 28% stayed in one just to take the trip.
   
• 44% of couples have argued over vacation costs. Travel may be romantic, but it doesn’t come without financial tension.
   
• 1 in 4 (25%) say they wouldn’t take a vacation if they couldn’t post online about it.

Budget flights, grounded plans

Travel plans are shrinking this year. 58% of people say they’re staying local, and 1 in 5 aren’t going anywhere because they simply can’t afford to. Only 6% plan to go overseas. These aren`t just personal preferences – they reflect the growing weight of inflation, lifestyle shifts, and financial anxiety.

Most travelers are budgeting carefully. 44% plan to spend less than $500 on their main trip. Around 1 in 4 expect to spend between $500 and $1,000. While the numbers vary, even lower-cost vacations come with pressure to make them feel worth it.

Debt, regret, and extreme travel choices

Going into debt for a vacation isn’t uncommon: 1 in 5 used a credit card to make it happen. Another 18% borrowed money from friends or family. Some stretched even further, delaying utility bills (6%) or turning to buy-now-pay-later services (3%). For many, the urge to escape outweighs the cost of catching up later.

Some sacrifices go beyond skipping a coffee run. 1 in 5 have skipped rent to fund a vacation. Others cut back on groceries (16%) or delayed utility bills (17%). These aren’t minor tradeoffs – they reflect the growing pressure to prioritize escape over essentials.

Financial discipline is tough on vacation. Only 29% say they stick to their budget. Nearly half admit they sometimes overspend, and 1 in 4 say they always blow past their limit. One souvenir too many, one dinner too fancy, and it adds up.

Vacation spending often leads to mixed feelings. Nearly two-thirds (63%) say they’ve felt some level of regret, whether full-on or just a bit. That “treat yourself” mindset feels great in the moment. Later, not always.

Extreme travel hacks are more common than you’d think. 27% have slept in a car or van, and 22% on a beach. About 1 in 5 took a side job just to afford a trip. Others have hitchhiked, lied to work, or traveled with strangers to split costs. For many, the destination is worth the hustle.

Social pressure and fake vacations: It’s not a trip unless you can post it

Some vacations just aren’t worth taking, at least according to 1 in 4 people who say they’d skip the trip if they couldn’t post about it. For them, the social media moment is part of the payoff. Travel is no longer just an experience; it’s something to be seen. If no one knows you went, what was the point?

Nearly 31% of respondents say they’ve shared old vacation photos to make it seem like they were currently away. Whether it’s to keep up a certain lifestyle or just fill the feed, fake-cation content is more common than you’d think. The pressure to appear adventurous doesn’t stop when the trips do.

Social media has real power over our travel decisions – 67% of respondents say it made them want to visit a destination. Friends, influencers, even strangers, are driving wanderlust more than ads ever did.

Love, lies, and vacation fights

Travel planning can spark serious tension between couples. Nearly half say they’ve argued with a partner over vacation costs. For something meant to bring joy, trips often highlight financial mismatches early on.

More than a third of respondents (38%) say they’ve booked a trip just to impress someone. It might seem romantic at first, but that kind of gesture can come with financial consequences. A few days away could mean months of playing catch-up.

29% say they’ve stayed in a relationship just to take the trip they’d planned. Sometimes the flights are booked and the hotel’s nonrefundable, and breaking up can wait. But traveling with someone you’ve emotionally checked out from rarely makes for the relaxing escape you hoped for.

Many see travel as a form of therapy – 43% say they’ve taken a trip hoping it would help fix things. A change of scenery can feel like a reset, especially in struggling relationships. But a vacation doesn’t erase the tension that comes back home with you.

Almost a quarter say they’ve ended a relationship over a vacation they couldn’t afford. When one partner sees the trip as a dream and the other sees it as a debt, something gives. Love may survive long distance, but not always long-haul expectations.

Booked it because Emily did: TV tourism takes off

TV and streaming shows are shaping travel like never before. 1 in 3 respondents say they booked a trip inspired by a show. The biggest drivers? Emily in Paris (11%), Yellowstone (10%), Game of Thrones (10%), and The White Lotus – with Thailand (9%) and Sicily (8%) both making the list. Even Ted Lasso managed to get 7% dreaming about London. While 62% said they weren’t influenced, the data makes one thing clear: screens are turning into travel agents.
 

Methodology: To create this study, researchers from Casinos Analyzer surveyed 1,500 adults aged 21 and over.