eMarketer: As more consumers choose driving vacations this year, brands meet them on the road
As consumers cut costs, they’re reassessing everyday expenses and big-ticket items like summer vacations.
High-income consumers prefer air travel, but driving is the top vacation transportation for low and middle-income US consumers, according to Bank of America’s 2025 travel survey.
The average summer trip budget reported by US adults is down 25.4% from 2024, per a Europ Assistance survey.
Over 2 in 5 (42%) are budgeting less for summer activities this year, including travel and concerts, according to Trustpilot’s 2025 Summer Spending Survey.
“Cost is going to be king this year,” said our analyst Rachel Wolff in a “Behind the Numbers” episode. “It’s going to mean more road trips and fewer flights…maybe shorter stays over week-long excursions.”
Marketers are embracing this shift as a brand-building opportunity and a chance to influence purchases. For example, Coca-Cola’s global “Road Trip” campaign depicts students unwinding after a long semester by hitting the road for vacation.