Amid an influx of geopolitical tensions and rising costs, a recently published survey claims the majority of Americans have switched up their summer travel plans.
A U.S. News survey released in late April found that 65% of Americans said rising travel costs have impacted their summer travel itineraries. Of that figure, 31% said they’ve changed the location of and/or canceled some or all of their seasonal trips.
Regardless, 67% of respondents still plan to take up to two “domestic trips this summer,” while 44% plan to jet-set internationally.
Author of the published report, Consumer Credit Cards Analyst Adriana Ocañas, shed insight on the survey with Travel Noire. The expert confirmed the domestic destinations that have seen increased travel booking cancellations.
“Some key destinations travelers have canceled their trips to include New York City, Hawaii, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, and national parks. Las Vegas is the destination most affected, with 24% of consumers saying they’ve had to cancel their trip due to rising prices,” said Ocañas.
What Factors Are Driving Travel Cancellations?
The study noted several factors as reasons for travel cancellations. As mentioned, rising costs are the most frequently cited issue (65%) contributing to itinerary adjustments and cancellations. Additionally, over half of the Americans (51%) expressed worry about “how they’ll be received abroad” during the current political climate. That figure is up from 47% in 2025. And the study noted that women tourists (55%) feel more anxious about their reception abroad than men (49%). Overall, 37% of participants said they’ve changed their travel plans due to the current political climate.
Another reason for the cancellations? Well, 42% of Americans specifically noted that rising gas prices have impacted their summer travel itineraries.
What Can Travelers Do?
Ocañas also weighed in on the best way for travelers to protect themselves from losing money when they cancel their travel plans.
“Consumers should look into travel insurance offered by their credit card issuer or at checkout when purchasing airline tickets,” she advised. “A common type of coverage offered by credit card issuers includes trip cancellation/interruption, which allows you to get reimbursed if you have to cancel your trip. Just make sure it’s for a covered reason! Unfortunately, ‘things are too expensive now’ isn’t covered by insurance.”
The post The Most-Canceled Travel Destinations Of 2026 (So Far) appeared first on Travel Noire.
