As inflation continues to abate, a new survey from Nationwide Travel Insurance shows U.S. consumers are optimistic about their travel plans in 2024 – right as spring break travel planning ramps up. Nearly all surveyed (91 percent) say they have plans to travel domestically in 2024, with four in 10 (40 percent) planning to travel more than they did in 2023.
Additionally, half (50 percent) of consumers are planning to travel internationally this year.
Regardless of where they're going, consumers are already thinking about how they'll get to their travel destinations. Taking a road trip by car is the most likely mode of transportation (30 percent already have plans to do this and 60 percent say they are likely to). Flights are still popular, with nearly a quarter of people (22 percent) planning to travel by air (with an additional 46 percent saying they are likely to fly). Additionally, cruises may see a resurgence – while only 6 percent of consumers have already planned a cruise, almost a third (29 percent) say they are likely to take one in 2024.
However, while consumer travel is projected to rebound or even surpass pre-pandemic levels, half (51 percent) of consumers are still concerned about a resurgence of Covid-19 impacting their travel plans. Other top concerns for traveling this year include:
Weather-related delays or cancellations (54 percent)
Technology issues (38 percent)
Unruly fellow travelers (37 percent)
Employee strikes (25 percent)
The survey delves further into the importance of travel insurance and what to know before purchasing a policy.