July 10, 2026
America’s Widening Travel Gap: Expected Air Travel Outlook Splinters by Income
- Air travel pullback is widening. The share of Americans self-reporting expectations to take zero flights in the next six months rose 7.2 points from June 2025 to June 2026.
- The shift breaks cleanly by income. Expectations for no flights increased among households earning $0–$50K (+8.4 pts) and were essentially flat for $50K–$100K (+0.6 pts). Higher‑income groups moved the other way, with reports of no flight expectations declining 5.3 points for $100K–$150K and 3.3 points for $150K+.
- Top earners aren’t just staying in the air — they’re planning more trips. Among $150K+ households, expectations for two flights rose five points, and plans for five or more flights nearly doubled (2.1% → 4.9%), widening the gap in who anticipates traveling. Subscribe today to stay ahead of the curve.
