Holiday Travel Preview: Mapping Out the Key Trends of 2024

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The calendar still reads mid-September, but CivicScience data suggest a majority of U.S. adults are already thinking about and preparing for the upcoming winter holiday season. In fact, holiday shopping is already in full swing for some Americans.

While shopping is a significant piece of the holiday puzzle, holiday travel is also on the radar as an important metric to track as the holiday season approaches. Here’s an early preview of how American holiday travel plans are shaping up according to CivicScience data.

So Far, Holiday Travel Plans Are On Par with Last Year

New CivicScience data reveal that consumer holiday travel plans in mid-September closely mirror trends from September 2023. Just under one-third say they plan to travel as of now compared to 67% who say they will not.

Those who are planning to travel this holiday season are more likely to be: 

• Men
• Fans of United Airlines
• At least halfway done with their holiday shopping already
• Amazon Prime users

Let Us Know: Are you traveling for the holidays this year?

Booking Ahead

It’s one thing to have plans, it’s another to have begun booking those plans. Examining the data among those who have plans (excluding those who aren’t sure yet) reveals 34% have already booked all of their necessary travel plans (like flights and/or hotels), but most travelers still have work to do. Another 43% have either booked ‘most’ or ‘some’ of their travel, leaving 22% who haven’t done any sort of booking yet. ¹

The Majority of Travelers Look to Head Out of State

Among those with confirmed holiday travel plans, 52% say their furthest trip will be out of state, with 31% staying within their region and 21% heading to a different part of the country. Six percent are planning international trips. Midwesterners are most likely to stay in-state, Southerners are most likely to travel out of state, while Westerners lead in international travel plans.

Transportation and Accommodations

The destination is only half the experience of traveling, so how are holiday travelers planning to get there? Preliminary polling data suggest the roads could be quite busy come holiday season – 70% say they’ll travel by car, while 31% plan to fly. Another 21% will opt for bus or train travel. 

Accommodation plans are similar to last year’s, as 44% of travelers plan to stay with friends or family, outpacing hotels (31%), rental properties like Airbnb (13%), and ‘other’ options (11%).

Cast Your Vote: When is the best time of year to travel?

The upcoming holiday travel season looks in line with 2023, with many Americans likely to hit the roads and head out of state. This year’s travelers are proactive – 44% have already started holiday shopping, and many have finalized holiday travel booking. They’re also less likely than non-travelers to be price-sensitive, but nearly half have become more budget-conscious (47%) over the last year, indicating that despite lower gas prices and possible interest rate cuts, cost-conscious travel may still prevail.

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