Key takeaways

• Road trips planned by 71% of Americans for this summer

• Recent drop in gas prices can lead to longer routes

• 2025’s summer holiday schedule suits long weekends

The U.S. economy drove a flurry of action in the first half of 2025. Consumers faced a drop in household net worth in the first quarter, while the S&P 500® Index saw a 4.59% fall during that time. As news updates evolved, the S&P 500 made a recovery to set a new all-time high, rounding out the second quarter.¹

With these financial swings still fresh and the road ahead unknown, consumers aren’t ready to go sky-high with their travel this year.²

Americans are set to spend $10,600 on trips and vacations in 2025, according to Empower research, with close to a third (29%) choosing staycations or day trips over domestic or international travel.

Considering options, road trips have come back into favor, embodying a more cautious route that still makes for a memorable ride. Over the course of just one month this spring — as tariff updates were announced — consumers made a notable shift: In March, 64% of people said they’d take a road trip this summer, which jumped to 71% in April.³

Work schedules merge with the open road

Hybrid and remote work models have led to fewer weekly miles driven for commuting, so Americans may have a pent-up want to hit the road.

And the thirst for summer travel still exists: A record 72.2 million people planned to travel at least 50 miles from home around the Fourth of July. Some 61.6 million expected to travel by car, a 2.2% rise over 2024’s holiday and setting an all-time high.⁴

This year, the Fourth of July was celebrated on a Friday, notching another summer holiday that can easily become part of a long weekend. (Memorial Day and Labor Day are both observed on Mondays each year.)

The work perk of “summer Fridays” involves people being able to take Friday afternoons off during the summer months — a prime opportunity for road trippers wanting to start their engines early to beat weekend drivers. However, as hybrid work arrangements have spread across America, professionals are seeing work-from-home Fridays as a more common replacement.⁵

Read more: Road to savings: Making commutes cheaper, greener and happier

Having a more flexible calendar may have made a weekend road trip more accessible this year: Empower research found that half of people (51%) strategically arrange their PTO days around national holidays to make the most of their time.

Seeing a return on auto investment

Americans have continued to buy cars, with vehicle sales of more than 16 million in May 2025.⁶ They also have taken on debt to pay for them: Auto loans are the second largest type of consumer debt after mortgages.

Empower findings show that a car payment is one of the biggest expenses for nearly a third of drivers (29%). With payments on their minds and vacations to take, road trips can be a chance for drivers to squeeze more use from vehicles they’re already paying for.

Read more: Buckle up: Nearly 60% of Americans keeping cars longer to save money

As the cost of gas has dropped 12% since last year, making a longer-haul road trip in 2025 can have less impact on the travel budget than before.

Road trips push goals forward

Customizing a personal travel path also leaves room for road trippers to find ways to save money on entertainment and have flexibility on where to stop.

Picking budget-friendly destinations is a priority for 45% of Americans, while 37% are prioritizing free activities during their trips, according to Empower research.

Road trips can pack in stops that cater to specific hobbies and memorable experiences, such as to take in a popular concert or visit an outdoor recreation hotspot.

Vacations can be as individual as a person, and the popularity of road trips is a nod to Americans balancing satisfaction during their time away — along with staying financially savvy.