Americans Opt for Staycations Amid High Oil Prices, Travel Chaos

Uncertainty over inflation, job security, and global unrest prompts more domestic travel plans

Mar. 29, 2026 at 8:22am

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High oil prices, travel disruptions, and economic uncertainty are leading many Americans to reconsider their summer vacation plans, with more opting for staycations and local trips instead of international travel. Factors like the war in Iran, TSA delays, and anti-American sentiment abroad are contributing to the shift, as travelers seek the comfort and security of staying closer to home.

Why it matters

The trend toward staycations could have significant economic impacts, both positive and negative. While it may hurt tourism in some popular international destinations, it could provide a much-needed boost to domestic travel spots that have seen a drop in foreign visitors. It also highlights the broader economic anxieties many Americans are facing as inflation, job insecurity, and global unrest take a toll on household budgets.

The details

The Crook family from California is one example, having initially planned a trip to Cancún before pivoting to Maui and now considering camping closer to home. Many Americans are weighing similar tradeoffs, with concerns over flight costs, TSA lines, and potential anti-American sentiment abroad. Some frequent international travelers are also cutting back, with a recent analysis showing a decline in bookings from US hubs to major European cities. Cruise lines are also grappling with the economic pressures, with some already implementing fuel surcharges.

  • In February, the Crook family scrapped plans for a trip to Cancún due to unrest in Mexico.
  • The Crook family is considering a mid-April deadline to decide whether to proceed with their Maui vacation.
  • Spring break 2026 is seeing some people opt to stay closer to home or skip trips entirely due to economic concerns and TSA issues.

The players

Colin Crook

A 51-year-old California resident and the patriarch of the Crook family, who is weighing whether to proceed with a planned vacation to Maui.

Patrick De Haan

The head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, a fuel price-tracking app, who warns that gas prices could continue to rise due to the ongoing conflict in Iran.

Royal Ahmadi

The senior vice president and general manager of The Vacation Group, a leisure travel agency that focuses on cruises, who believes cruise lines are better prepared to absorb the impact of rising fuel costs.

Dan Ahern

A 27-year-old New York-based communications professional who is monitoring the situation in Armenia, which shares a border with Iran, ahead of a planned trip in June.

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What they’re saying

“Everything's kind of hedged. The economic uncertainty of being a laptop warrior — as an email professional or a white-collar professional right now — it's just very up in the air. With everything going on in the economy and the world, we just feel like it's like month to month, what can we do?”

— Colin Crook, California resident

“Consistent with prior episodes, I anticipate a move toward closer, less expensive vacation destinations will occur naturally, as a function of economic concerns driving greater affordability, and geopolitics driving some away from areas with greater perceived risk.”

— Bob Mann, Aviation analyst

“As long as the situation continues and the Strait of Hormuz sees no meaningful improvement in terms of ships navigating through, gas prices will continue to go up. And there's really not necessarily a ceiling on how high prices will go.”

— Patrick De Haan, Head of petroleum analysis, GasBuddy

“It's just uncertainty in every aspect of the travel experience right now.”

— Dan Ahern, New York-based communications professional

What’s next

The Crook family has set a mid-April deadline to decide whether to proceed with their planned Maui vacation. If they cancel, they may opt for a camping trip closer to home instead.

The takeaway

The rise in staycations this summer reflects the broader economic anxieties and global uncertainty that many Americans are facing. While it may hurt tourism in some popular international destinations, it could provide a much-needed boost to domestic travel spots that have seen a drop in foreign visitors. Ultimately, the trend highlights the difficult tradeoffs families are making as they navigate the complex landscape of travel planning.