Summer 2024 Travel Trends: Gen Z Spends, Europe Reigns

Staff Report From Georgia CEO

Friday, April 26th, 2024

Despite the rising cost of travel, travelers are sparing no expense on their summer getaways, according to Squaremouth.com, the nation's leading travel insurance marketplace.

Analyzing traveler spending data from thousands of travel insurance policies purchased for trips this summer, Squaremouth reveals the top summer travel spending trends of 2024 and which top locations are the most wallet-friendly. 

Over 75% of Summer Travelers Are Heading Abroad 

In 2024, 77% of travelers booking summer trips through Squaremouth are heading abroad. These destinations come with a high price tag, as international trips have an average trip cost of over $9,000, compared to just over $7,000 for domestic trips. 

Top 10 International Summer Destinations for 2024

Destination

% of Travelers

Average Trip Cost

United Kingdom

6.38 %

$9,245

Italy 

6.25 %

$9,830

Canada 

5.17 %

$6,975

France

3.47 %

$9,468

Greece

2.81 %

$10,366

Germany 

2.39 %

$8,171

Iceland

2.37 %

$9,427

Ireland

2.34 %

$8,116

Norway

2.33 %

$11,986

Spain

2.23 %

$8,501

Budget-Friendly Destinations for Summer 2024

With travel prices higher than ever, many travelers are searching for attractive destinations that don't break the bank. Consider these 5 popular budget-friendly international destinations with the lowest average trip costs in 2024. 

Destination

Avg Trip Cost

Bermuda 

$4,644

Mexico 

$4,734

Puerto Rico 

$4,941

Dominican Republic

$5,010

Philippines 

$5,090

Gen Z Spending the Most on Travel

All generations are spending more on trips this summer, with trip costs rising an average of 36% compared to 2023. 

Notable Stats: 

  • Gen Z is spending an average of $11,766 on trips, surpassing all other generations for the first time in 4 years
  • While Millennials are spending the least on travel this year, their year-over-year spending has increased the most by almost 50%

Generation

2024 Average Trip Cost

2023

% Change YOY 

Gen Z

$11,766

$8,451

+39.21 %

Gen X

$10,729

$7,876

+36.22 %

Boomers

$10,680

$7,811

+36.71 %

Silent

$10,582

$8,808

+20.14 %

Millennial

$9,670

$6,500

+48.76 %

Methodology: Squaremouth identified trends amongst travel insurance policy sales purchased with travel dates between 6/20/24 – 9/22/24.