As we lurch towards the summer travel season, we’re seeing rising gas prices and soaring airline fares.
Prices are also rising for hotels, meals, attractions, admissions, souvenirs and everything else you might need or want to do when you’re on vacation.
And don’t get us started about the costs of visiting any US city that may be hosting a FIFA World Cup game this year.
What will happen to travel this summer? Will everyone stay home?
AAA projects that 45 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home for Memorial Day between Thursday, May 21 and Monday, May 25.
That’s slighter higher than last year and sets a new Memorial Day weekend record with 39.1 million people traveling by car and 3.66 million expected to fly to their destinations.
And while gas prices are higher than last Memorial Day weekend, AAA notes that the average airline ticket price is lower than last year, but only for those who booked early.
Adjusting, not canceling, summer plans
A slew of surveys are out offering insights into what summer travelers are feeling.
According to the 2026 Bank of America Summer Travel Outlook (conducted between March 26 and April 3) around 30% of respondents said higher gas prices weren’t causing them to change their summer travel plans just yet.
However, many people were already planning to take fewer trips and are trimming their travel budgets.
In a survey of 5,000 Americans conducted by Talker Research for Current in mid-March, respondents who traveled last summer and who are planning to travel this summer (52%) said they are planning to visit different types of destinations (32%) and trying to be smart with their finances by being more budget-conscious this summer (31%) and traveling to more affordable destinations (25%).
Summer travelers are also looking to do more day trips or adventures within their own city or state (22%) and will be traveling for shorter lengths of time (22%).
Makes sense!
Iceland bound? Keflavik International Airport has free cultural tours
If you’re visiting Iceland soon, or stopping over on a trip somewhere else, you can stretch your budget by checking out these free at-the airport adventures.
Iceland’s Keflavík Airport (KEF) is offering a series of free airport experiences that invite passengers to discover Iceland through four hosted airport tours focusing on food, drink, art and music.
The Bless Program tours – ‘Bless’ means Goodbye in Icelandic – will be hosted by Icelandic notables.
The food tour will take guests to several KEF restaurants to the meet chefs and taste Icelandic products, such as lamb, fish, skyr and hot dogs.
The art tour will explore some of the 20 pieces of art in the airport and on airport grounds, including hand-painted ceramic murals, stained-glass artworks, and a 78-foot-tall rainbow sculpture.
The drinks tour will offer guests samples of local favorites, such as Snorri (Icelandic Ale), Gull beer (Icelandic Pale Ale), Brennivín snaps, an Icelandic cream liquor and more.
And the music tour will offer a chance to listen to Icelandic music ranging from rock to rap including Mezzoforte, Björk, Of Monsters and Men, Sigurrós, Kaleo and Laufey.
Check ahead for dates and times of KEF’s Bless Program tours.
