Over half say trips wouldn't happen without travel rewards

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These days, seven in 10 Americans say they feel pressure to make every trip they take “worth the money.”

That’s according to a new survey of 2,000 Americans that World of Hyatt (https://www.hyatt.com/) commissioned with Talker Research, which found that travelers are getting creative to navigate tight budgets and rising costs in order to take trips, with travel rewards increasingly making the difference.

The study revealed that as travelers juggle budget pressure, more than half (51%) have previously taken a trip that wouldn’t have been possible without travel rewards, while nearly three-quarters (74%) also said rewards make travel spending feel more worthwhile.

And despite financial pressures, Americans aren’t willing to give up vacations altogether. The survey results show nearly everyone agreed that taking vacations is essential for their mental health (90%) and to avoid burnout (85%).

But even still, affordability remains a challenge. When asked about the biggest barriers to traveling more, respondents cited limited finances (43%) and difficulty taking time off work (26%) as the top obstacles.

“This research shows that travelers aren’t losing their desire to explore; they’re looking for smarter ways to make it happen,” says Laurie Blair, senior vice president of global marketing and loyalty, Hyatt. “When half of survey respondents shared that they were only able to take a trip because of travel rewards, it’s clear loyalty programs play an important role in making travel more attainable.”

That reliance on travel rewards is even more pronounced among younger travelers.

More than eight in 10 Gen Z travelers (84%) and over three-quarters of millennials (77%) said using travel rewards makes travel spending feel more worthwhile, compared to 68% of Gen X and 58% of baby boomers.

Respondents also estimated that, on average, travel rewards pay for an astounding 40% of the cost of a typical vacation, with Gen Z (50%) and millennials (44%) relying on rewards more heavily to cover vacation costs than Gen X (33%) and baby boomers (23%).

Alongside financial stress, planning a trip has also become more overwhelming for many travelers. More than four in 10 respondents (42%) admitted they’ve given up on planning a trip in the past because it felt too overwhelming.

Many are also constantly on the lookout for travel deals and discounts, and while they can help save money, it can be exhausting.

Nearly half of respondents said they’ve delayed booking (48%) or skipped booking a trip altogether (44%) because they were worried a better deal might come along.

Ultimately, respondents said rewards help offset travel costs (30%) and motivate them to plan future trips (27%).

But at the same time, some described rewards as complicated (19%) or time-consuming to manage (18%), highlighting an opportunity to simplify the experience while continuing to deliver meaningful value.

Survey methodology

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults aged 18 – 65 who travel at least once per year and use credit cards, with quotas set at a minimum of 100 Gen Z and 100 millennials, who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by World of Hyatt and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between June 29 and July 6, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.

Survey questions

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Hyatt Hotel Corporation - The modern travel trade-off

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