Family travel statistics at a glance
Family travel is not a niche story right now; it is a broad, active travel category shaped by budgets, multigenerational planning, and clear lodging preferences.
The latest family travel statistics show parents still want to travel with children, grandparents are deeply involved, and affordability remains the main pressure point (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey; NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
Fast facts
- 92% of parents are likely or very likely to travel with their children in the next 12 months (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 73% of parents say affordability is their biggest obstacle to family travel (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 84% of families planned to stay in hotels in 2025 (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 48% of families are planning travel with extended family members such as aunts, uncles, or cousins, up from 41% in 2023 (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 71% of grandparents have taken a multi-generational trip recently (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
Table of contents
- What the latest family travel statistics say
- Family travel trends and spending
- Family travel lodging statistics
- Family travel with grandparents and extended family
- Planning behavior and booking patterns
- What families are trying to save on
- How to read the numbers
What the latest family travel statistics say
The strongest headline is simple: family travel demand is still high, and the data does not show hesitation about traveling with children.
92% of parents are likely or very likely to travel with their children in the next 12 months (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey). That is a remarkably strong signal for a category that often has to compete with school calendars, extracurricular schedules, and higher trip costs.
At the same time, the family travel market is not just about intent. It is also about how families structure their trips, where they stay, and how much cost control they need.
81% of parents plan to increase or maintain domestic travel spending (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release). That means most families are not pulling back on travel altogether. They are trying to keep travel in the budget, even if they have to make compromises in the trip design.
Why it matters
The numbers point to a category that is resilient but price-sensitive.
- Families want to travel.
- They are willing to spend, at least at current levels.
- They are looking for ways to keep costs manageable without giving up the trip.
- They are increasingly open to travel formats that work for multiple generations at once.
Family travel trends and spending
The 2025 family travel statistics show a market balancing enthusiasm with financial caution.
73% of parents say affordability is their biggest obstacle (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey). That is the key number for understanding almost every other trend in the dataset. It helps explain why families compare lodging options carefully, look for kitchen access, and limit paid attractions.
The same affordability pressure appears in spending plans:
- 39% of parents plan to increase domestic travel spending (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 42% of parents plan to maintain domestic travel spending (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- Together, those figures match the broader finding that 81% plan to increase or maintain spending (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
That split matters because it shows two different behaviors inside one optimistic category:
- Families with more room in the budget are willing to spend more.
- Families with tighter budgets are trying to hold spending steady instead of cutting travel completely.
At a glance: spending pressure versus travel intent
| Measure | Share | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Likely to travel with children in the next 12 months | 92% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Plan to increase or maintain domestic travel spending | 81% | NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release |
| Say affordability is the biggest obstacle | 73% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Plan to increase domestic travel spending | 39% | NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release |
| Plan to maintain domestic travel spending | 42% | NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release |
The table shows a category that is still highly active, but not carefree. Family travel is not growing because budgets are easy. It is holding up because families are adapting their trip choices around cost.
Family travel lodging statistics
Lodging is where the affordability story becomes concrete. Families do not just talk about budget pressure; they make booking decisions that reduce spend inside the trip.
50% of families are booking lodging with a kitchen to save money (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release). That is one of the cleanest signals in the dataset because it ties directly to behavior. A kitchen can lower food costs, simplify breakfast, and reduce the need for constant restaurant meals.
The lodging mix also shows a strong preference for hotel-based stays:
- 84% of families planned to stay in hotels in 2025 (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 50% of families planned to stay in resorts in 2025 (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 47% of families planned to stay in vacation rentals in 2025 (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
The survey also shows a broader range of lodging options parents were willing to consider:
- 80% of parents chose hotels as their preferred lodging in 2024 planning (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 57% of parents chose vacation rentals as a planned lodging option (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 46% of parents chose resorts as a planned lodging option (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 35% of parents planned to stay with friends or family members (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 19% planned campsite or glamping stays (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 17% planned cabin rentals (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 9% planned motel stays (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 9% planned bed-and-breakfast or small-inn stays (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 8% planned to use timeshares (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 7% planned RV or trailer stays (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 7% planned to use their own vacation property (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
Lodging comparison snapshot
| Lodging choice | Share planning to use it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels | 84% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Vacation rentals | 57% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Resorts | 46% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Staying with friends or family | 35% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Campsite or glamping | 19% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Cabin rentals | 17% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
Hotels remain the anchor choice, but the wider list shows families looking for flexibility. Vacation rentals and resorts are both strong, and the share staying with relatives or friends suggests that cost-saving and social travel are often linked.
Family travel with grandparents and extended family
One of the most interesting parts of the dataset is how clearly it points to multigenerational travel.
71% of grandparents have taken a multi-generational trip recently (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release), and 57% are planning one in the future (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release). That is not a marginal pattern. It is a meaningful travel segment with its own motivations, trip styles, and emotional logic.
The older adults in the survey do not just participate; they seem highly motivated by the family experience itself.
- 75% of grandparents say multi-generational travel is a great way to bond as a family (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 73% say they want to see their grandchildren’s joy experiencing new destinations and activities (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 73% say they enjoy spending extended time with their grandchildren (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 63% say multi-generational travel creates family travel experiences and traditions across generations (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 55% say their grandchildren enjoy extended time with them (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 53% say multi-generational travel is a special treat for children and grandchildren (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 49% say it is a special way to bring the extended family together (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- 40% say they want to show their grandchildren the world (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
Skip-generation travel patterns
Skip-generation trips, where grandparents travel with grandchildren without the parents, are also visible in the data.
| Skip-generation trip type | Share of grandparents | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Day trips | 64% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Weekend getaways | 62% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Multi-day trips in the U.S. | 52% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
| Multi-day international vacations | 7% | FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey |
The sharp drop from domestic multi-day trips to international multi-day trips suggests that shorter, lower-friction travel is more realistic for most skip-generation planning.
The destination mix for these trips also leans toward culturally rich experiences.
40% of grandparents on skip-generation trips prefer museums and cultural attractions (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release). That aligns with a travel style built around shared memories, learning, and easy-to-plan activities.
Planning behavior and booking patterns
Family travel is often booked with more structure than solo leisure travel, but not always as far in advance as people assume.
33% of parents book family trips two or three months before departure (FTA 2023 Annual US Family Travel Survey). That is a useful planning benchmark because it suggests many families are not waiting until the last minute, but they are also not planning every trip a year out.
The travel advisor numbers add another layer.
- 19% of parents have used a travel advisor recently (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 61% would consider using a travel advisor within the next two years (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 47% of parents who would use a travel advisor want exclusive benefits (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 45% want peace of mind or security (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
That combination matters because it shows a service gap. Many parents have not used an advisor yet, but a much larger share is open to it. The hook is not just convenience; it is value, confidence, and better trip protection.
Destination and trip-type preferences
The 2025 surveys also point to the kinds of trips families want to take.
- 62% of planned family trips are beach vacations (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 61% are visits to family and friends (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 45% are theme or water park trips (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 42% of parents plan city trips (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- 37% plan national or state park visits (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
Those categories show a practical mix:
- Beach vacations remain the dominant leisure format.
- Visiting relatives stays central, which fits the multigenerational pattern.
- Theme and water parks remain powerful family draws.
- City and park trips show that families also want variety, culture, and outdoor access.
What families are trying to save on
Not every family travel statistic is about where people want to go. Some of the most useful data is about the tradeoffs families are making to keep trips affordable.
46% of families are limiting paid attractions to save money (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release). That is a specific, behavior-based indicator of budget management. Families are willing to travel, but they are trimming the trip’s discretionary spend.
Paired with the 50% booking lodging with a kitchen stat (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release), this suggests a broader pattern:
- Families may protect the trip itself.
- They may reduce dining costs.
- They may reduce attraction spend.
- They may choose lodging that creates more self-service flexibility.
That makes the family travel market more resilient than it might appear from affordability headlines alone. Families are not necessarily traveling less; they are traveling more deliberately.
How to read the numbers
The most important thing about these family travel statistics is not one isolated percentage. It is the pattern across them.
- Parent travel intent is extremely high at 92% (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- Spending plans remain stable or up for most families at 81% (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
- Affordability is still the main friction point at 73% (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- Hotels remain the leading lodging choice at 84% (FTA 2025 US Family Travel Survey).
- Multigenerational travel is mainstream, not marginal, with 71% of grandparents having taken a recent trip and 57% planning one in the future (NYU SPS 2025 Family Travel Survey press release).
Taken together, the data shows a family travel market that is active, adaptive, and highly responsive to value.
If you are looking at family travel planning through a data lens, the clearest opportunities are in lower-friction trip design, flexible lodging, multigenerational experiences, and cost-saving features that do not make the trip feel stripped down.