How American Workers Are Planning Vacations
With travel restrictions lifting across the U.S. and many Americans experiencing cabin fever, the vast majority of full-time or part-time employees are planning to go on vacation this year.
According to a newly released Priceline survey, 92% of American workers plan to travel or already have this year. Further, more than half (52%) are planning to do so as soon as this summer.
Workers are yearning to travel, but do they have the PTO for it?
According to the Priceline survey, 21% of American workers used all their PTO in 2020, down from 30% in 2019. Separately, 30% of those who didn’t use all their PTO held out hope to use some of it for travel.
It also appears to be a time of regret, as more than half of respondents (54%) who didn’t use their PTO regret not taking more time in 2020, a substantial jump from 21% in 2019.
Of those who experienced regret, 40% wish they had taken more trips — especially those in the younger generations. Further, 35% say they felt they “wasted” their newfound flexibility from working from home, while nearly a third (32%) say they regret not taking the opportunity to work from new or different places.
Why Americans prefer working remotely, and how it impacts travel
A recent survey from MDC and The Harris Poll found that 40% of Americans would like to work from home full time. Why’s that?
An overwhelming 75% of Priceline survey respondents indicate that working remotely has made work-life balance more achievable, 72% have been able to work from different locations and 66% have been inspired to explore new places.
The survey indicates that 60% of respondents express that working from home has encouraged them to take more workcations because they can work from anywhere.
Workers in the West (75%) say remote work has helped them take more workcations, followed by:
- 72% in the Northeast
- 61% in the South
- 59% in the Midwest
More vacations on the horizon for workers
About two-thirds (66%) plan on taking advantage of working remotely by traveling more. More than half (56%) intend to reschedule trips canceled in 2020 — 60% of men plan on doing so, versus 51% of women.
The reasons for traveling run the gamut:
- 62% who have a fixed amount of PTO are taking a trip to a never-visited-before destination
- 61% would like to vacation based on a personal passion
- 53% are making bucket-list destinations a priority
- 38% say visiting friends and family is a priority
If you’re planning on using credit cards for travel, research the cards that offer the best redemptions. For vacation, look for cards with a low or no annual fee, don’t carry foreign transaction fees and offer extra rewards and intro offers with bonus points.
To maintain a strong credit score, don’t go overboard on spending while traveling, making sure to always make the minimum payments on time.
Methodology: Priceline conducted an online survey from April 29 to May 4, 2021, of 1,000 full- or part-time U.S. employees 18 and older.