Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
- A poll found Utahns prioritized cost factors like airfare, inflation and gas.
- Forty-two percent planned to drive for vacations, with 42% staying within Utah.
- Late summer offers low gas prices and affordable flight deals, experts suggest.
SALT LAKE CITY — Perhaps not surprisingly, a new statewide poll found cost considerations were the biggest factors for Utahns when it came to how they planned vacation time over the summer.
In a survey conducted by the Deseret News in partnership with the University of Utah's Hinckley Institute of Politics, poll participants said the cost of airfare, inflation and gas were their top three major considerations for deciding whether to travel in July, August and September with room availability and the cost of living in the planned travel area trailing behind as decision-making factors.
And a majority of Utahns said they were staying in the country for summertime fun, with most of those, 42%, reporting that they would be driving to their vacation locales. Of those with plans to drive, 42% said they would vacation in the Beehive State. Among those planning to fly, only 17% had plans to visit an international destination and 15% of respondents said they had no vacation plans this summer.
The local vacation data was gathered by HarrisX via an online survey conducted July 9-16 of 840 Utah adults. The survey data has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4%.
Utahns' feelings about summer travel jibe with what LendingTree found in its national polling on summer vacations earlier this summer.
Nearly three-quarters, 71%, of Americans said they were concerned about how economic conditions would affect their ability to travel. A majority, 57%, cited recent travel cost increases, and more than half, 53%, reported they were cutting back on the number of trips they plan to take this summer.
"Prices are still high for so many things, and many Americans are concerned the implementation of tariffs will only make things worse," said Matt Schulz, LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst in LendingTree's summer travel survey report. "Those concerns are spurring many people to proceed with caution, delaying bigger expenses such as vacations until things seem more steady."
Late summer travel deals?
Those planning on piling into the car for a late summer trip will enjoy gas prices across most of the country that are the lowest in years. According to a AAA report published last week, average U.S. gas prices at the end of July were at the lowest level since July 2021.
As of Thursday, the average national price for a gallon of regular was $3.17, according to AAA tracking, up slightly from a week ago but well below the $3.46 per gallon average this time last year.
Utah's average gas price is running somewhat higher, currently at $3.38 per gallon. St. George has the highest gas prices by metropolitan area in the state, with a gallon of regular averaging $3.42 per gallon as of Thursday, according to AAA.
Vacationers who are considering catching a late-season flight may be able to score some deals right now, according to travel industry experts.
Katy Nastro, an expert at Going, a membership service for cheap airfares, told the New York Times that prices are "unseasonably affordable" right now.
"Now is the time for the reluctant traveler, especially those who weren't sure if they could afford an international trip this summer," Nastro said.
The Times report notes prices for economy, round-trip domestic flights are averaging around $312, down 3% compared with last summer, according to the company's data.
"Now through the rest of summer is a great time to score a deal on international flights, with prices down over $100 on average," Steve Hafner, Kayak's chief executive, told the New York Times.
