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Study: 88 Million Plan Family Trips for 2018

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ORLANDO, FL—Led by millennials, some 88 million Americans plan to take family vacations this year. According to the latest research from AAA Travel, 44% of millennials are planning a family getaway, more than members of Generation X (39%) or baby boomers (32%).

“Just like generations before them, millennials see a family vacation as one of the best ways to create memories and reconnect with loved ones,” said Bill Sutherland, SVP of travel and publishing, AAA. “No matter their age, families are going on not just one, but multiple vacations throughout the year to revisit favorite destinations and experience new places.”

As travelers seek new sights, AAA expects family trips abroad to be a hot trend in 2018. Of families who will take a trip this year, 35% plan to visit an international destination—a nine percentage point increase from two years ago. Based on advance travel bookings, AAA predicts the top five most likely international destinations for families will be the following:

  1. Cancun, Mexico
  2. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
  3. Montego Bay, Jamaica
  4. Rome
  5. Dublin

“We’ve seen increased demand for international travel overall, and that trend is now starting to appeal to families,” continued Sutherland.

For families staying stateside, expensive gas prices—the highest prices seen since 2014—are not stopping vacation planners from packing up their cars for a road trip. They remain the most popular option for family vacations, with nearly two-thirds (64%) of those planning a trip expected to hit the roads.

Additional AAA family travel highlights for 2018:

  • Families are taking more trips per year. One in four (27%) traveling families are planning to take three or more family vacations in the next 12 months, 12 percentage points more than in 2016.
  • Family travelers are looking for new experiences. Three-quarters (73%) of families that are planning a vacation this year are seeking a destination they have not previously visited.
  • Families are seeking R&R. When looking for these new experiences, families are choosing destinations with attractions such as beaches and mountains (61%), opportunities for sightseeing (59%) and relaxation (56%).

AAA’s family travel research is the result of a telephone survey (landline and cellphone) consisting of 1,005 adults living in the continental U.S.

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