Summer travel demand remains strong in 2026, but airfare prices are rising.
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If you’re itching to get away this summer but soaring travel costs have you wondering whether pitching a tent in the backyard might be the best budget friendly move, you’re not alone.
Nearly 72% of Americans plan to take a summer trip in 2026, according to a new WalletHub report, but affordability is playing a bigger role than ever in where — and how — they travel.
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To help cut travel costs, consider using AI-powered tools and trip planners that can you compare prices, find cheaper flights, optimize your budget and more.
iMean AI: The free AI-powered trip planner is designed for more complex trips involving multiple travelers or multiple destinations. It scans flight and hotel pricing in real time and can provide booking-ready recommendations.
Mindtrip: Another AI-powered platform, Mindtrip focuses on visually organized trip planning with interactive maps, reviews and hour-by-hour itineraries, creating a more collaborative planning experience.
Layla: The tool functions like an AI travel assistant, quickly building complete itineraries that can include flights, accommodations and transportation details.
Wonderplan: This free planning tool offers personalized travel recommendations and allows you to download itineraries as PDFs for offline access.
Google Search AI Mode: The search engine pulls in real-time travel information, including flight and hotel data, while integrating reviews, photos and location details from Google Maps.
General AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude: These tools are helpful for brainstorming trip ideas, building packing lists and identifying popular attractions. As with any AI tool, it’s always a good idea to double-check the results.
Rising costs are changing the way travelers plan and pay for their getaways. Instead of booking months in advance without much thought, more people are becoming strategic by spending extra time searching, comparing prices and looking for ways to stretch their vacation budgets without sacrificing the experience.
WalletHub’s study ranked 100 metro areas as possible travel destinations based on airfare costs, attractions, dining prices and overall value, highlighting destinations that offer a balance of affordability and entertainment.
Atlanta ranked as the top summer spot, followed by Orlando, Fla., Austin, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Honolulu, Hawaii. Florida and Texas each placed multiple cities among the top 15 destinations, underscoring a growing preference for places that combine a wide range of activities with comparatively lower costs.
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“When picking a summer travel destination, it’s easy to focus just on the types of activities you want to do or certain cities you’ve always wanted to see,” said Chip Lupo, WalletHub analyst, in an email. “However, choosing a destination that’s not only entertaining but also affordable is important when travel, dining and activity costs have surged so much in recent years. It can also allow you to have a longer, more relaxing trip.”
Even so, travelers are facing higher expenses. WalletHub found the average summer flight now costs about $388, while new data from CheapOair shows airfare continues to rise across several categories.
CheapOair found that domestic weekend travel fares increased 14.3% year over year, while family travel fares climbed 15.7%. At the same time, travelers appear increasingly hesitant to commit early. About 62% of travelers are now booking trips within 30 days of departure, favoring flexibility as they watch prices fluctuate.
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“Travel demand continues to remain strong, but consumers are approaching bookings much more intentionally than we’ve seen in previous years,” said Yuvraj Datta in a statement. “While more travelers are continuing to prioritize booking trips, they are also more aware than ever before of what they’re spending, which is shifting when and how they book.”
That more deliberate approach is leading many travelers to rethink how they save money before and during a trip.
Consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch recommends building flexibility into travel plans whenever possible. Flying into nearby airports rather than major hubs can sometimes reduce airfare significantly, while booking one-way tickets instead of round-trip flights may uncover cheaper combinations between carriers.
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Lodging costs can also offer opportunities to save. Rather than paying premium resort prices, Woroch suggests booking a lower-cost hotel and purchasing day passes to access resort amenities. Travelers can also use price-tracking tools to monitor changing airfare, hotel and gas prices and buy when rates drop.
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For travelers willing to plan strategically, additional savings may come from warehouse club vacation packages, bundled discounts and travel rewards programs. Credit card sign-up bonuses and reward points, when used responsibly for planned purchases, can also help offset costs such as hotel stays, rental cars and airfare.
“Capital One VentureX Rewards Credit Card says you can get 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening,” says Woroch. “As long as you only use the card for purchases you’re planning to make including monthly bills or ahead of a big purchase you need to (like a new appliance), you can get those free points to help pay for a hotel stay, car rental and more.”