5 Vacation Expenses the Middle Class Can’t Afford Anymore
Written by
Kerra Bolton
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
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With rising prices and economic uncertainty, annual vacations are becoming increasingly out of reach for many middle-class families. Travelers are choosing between shortening trips, skipping excursions or staying home entirely. As travel inflation reshapes expectations, families are forced to reconsider a realistic vacation.
Here are fivevacation expenses the middle class can’t afford anymore.
Peak Season Flights
For many middle-class families, the rising cost of airfare, especially during school breaks and peak travel seasons, has made flying to vacation destinations increasingly unaffordable.
“We specifically noticed this after [COVID-19] when in 2023 we had time off in late August, early September,” said Hristina Nabosnyi, who co-owns the travel blog CheckinAway.com with her husband. “But the flight prices were through the roof.”
Instead of paying for expensive flights, Nabosnyi and her family bought an Interrail pass and spent 16 days traveling across six European countries.
“We used a mix of points, early bookings and cash back to keep hotel costs down and it ended up being a great alternative,” Nabosnyi said.
Pet-Friendly Travel
Zach Somers, CEO and founder of Romingo, an online platform for pet-friendly vacations, said while the average nightly rates decreased by 16% compared to last year, pet fees and resort fees have increased by 5% and 6%, respectively.
In addition, Somers said the average length of stay for travelers with pets has decreased from 2.07 nights in 2024 to 1.7 night-stays this year.
“This shift highlights that travelers are booking quick getaways instead of longer vacations,” Somers said. “Economic uncertainty and the rising cost of goods and services has decreased travel demand for Americans, especially in primary markets such as Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta and other major travel destinations.”
Instead, more travelers are opting for road trips to destinations within a two- to ten-hour driving distance from their homes.
“On average, the American household takes five trips per year, which we forecast to increase as airline pricing continues to skyrocket and the number of flights operated continues to decrease.”
High Hotel Prices
In some cases, the cost of accommodations in popular destinations has become so high that travelers are forced to change or shorten their plans altogether.
Nabosnyi said her family originally planned to visit Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Hungary. However, a basic hotel room in the Netherlands costs approximately $308 per night.
“After searching for alternatives and still not finding anything reasonable, we decided to skip the Netherlands entirely and spend more time in Belgium and Germany instead,” Nabosnyi said. “It’s frustrating, but sometimes you just have to adjust your plans. I’m sure many families are doing the same.”
Excursions
Jesse Neugarten, CEO and founder of the Dollar Flight Club, said that prices for tours, museum passes and local attractions now cost more.
“Theme parks, which used to be a go-to family trip, now cost a small fortune,” Neugarten said. “At Walt Disney World, a single-day peak ticket is nearly $200 per person. A family of four is looking at $750 or more just to get in the game, before food or lodging.”
Neugarten explained, “We’re hearing from members that what used to be a once-a-year tradition like a spring break trip or summer vacation abroad now requires serious budgeting or gets skipped altogether.”
Fading Budget Favorites
Sometimes, it’s not a single expense but an entire destination that has become pricier.
For example, Costa Rica was once known as a budget-friendly destination. However, a combination of currency shifts and inflation has pushed vacation costs far beyond what many middle-class travelers can afford.
“What we are observing in our stats is that the middle-class traveler to Costa Rica has all but vanished,” said Casey Halloran, CEO and co-founder of Costa Rican Vacations. “For a family of four, including flights, it’s difficult to vacation here for under $2,000.”
Halloran said the average price to vacation in Costa Rica in 2022, minus the flight, was about $5,500. Now, it’s $7,800.
“We are also seeing a shift to shorter stays, sometimes as little as just four nights versus the more traditional seven-night stay,” Halloran said. “But what we hear from many who experience sticker shock at seeing one of our quotes is they simply elect to stay home.”
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