Study Shows Millennial Parents to Spend Most on 2026 Travel

A new study from PwC uncovered Millennial parents are prepared to spend the most of any generation for spring travel. The report found about 61 percent of Gen Z and 62 percent of Millennials intend to travel this season, while about 57 percent of parents with children under 17 plan to travel this spring.

On the other hand, PwC noted Boomers and Gen X aim to stay home, with 66 percent of Boomers and 60 percent of Gen X not eyeing any spring travel.

PwC noted Millennial parents are the most optimistic about finances, are active on social media and increasingly open to AI-assisted discovery, meaning they are best prepared to spend meaningfully on celebrations, gifts and travel.

According to PwC, for retailers, this convergence of platform engagement, household spending and optimism is “less a trend to monitor than an opportunity to act on.”

PwC also released a study on Gen Alpha, naming this generation the “youngest chief influence officers.” Eighty-six percent of kids surveyed said they earn their own money, while 89 percent of 13- and 14-year-olds have their own smartphone. This sets Gen Alpha to become the most digitally native, entrepreneurial and commercially confident kids in history.

In other words, Gen Alpha are not just consuming content online but also use what they learn online to change how their families spend money, and this extends to how families select their vacations. Kidfluencers are on the rise!