Key Points:

• A new TPG and YouGov survey found 63% of parents with kids under 18 already have a summer trip planned despite airfare running about 14% higher than last year.
• Only 21% of surveyed families are using points and miles for summer travel, leaving a major opportunity for parents who haven't started earning rewards yet.
• The biggest money-saving move families are making is switching to cheaper or closer destinations, not canceling trips altogether, which means smart card strategy can stretch a fixed travel budget further.

Introduction

If you're wondering whether other families are pulling back on summer travel this year, the data says no. A new survey from The Points Guy and YouGov found that family summer travel is still booming in 2026, even as airfare and hotel costs climb well above last year's prices. Most parents aren't canceling vacations. They're adjusting how they travel: choosing closer destinations, flying economy instead of premium, and in a growing number of cases, redeeming points and miles to make the math work. For a community built around stretching travel dollars further, this survey is a useful reality check. It shows exactly where families are saving money and where there's still a lot of room to save more with the right rewards strategy.

What the survey actually found

The numbers tell a clear story about resilience. According to the survey, 63% of parents with kids under 18 already have a family trip planned for this summer, and just 6% canceled a vacation outright. Another 27% said they aren't traveling at all this summer, which still leaves the overwhelming majority of families heading out the door.

That's happening against a backdrop of real cost pressure. Airfare in May ran 27% higher than the same month last year, though prices have started easing slightly since then. Families aren't ignoring the cost increases. They're adapting around them, with budget ranking as the top consideration for 63% of parents choosing a destination.

Here's where it gets interesting for anyone reading The Points Party: only 21% of families surveyed said they're using points and miles to help fund summer travel, and just 5% said award availability factors into where they choose to go. That's a meaningful gap. Most families are cutting costs through trip length, destination choice, and fewer activities, when points and miles could be doing some of that heavy lifting instead. If that 5% number surprises you, it's worth understanding whether travel credit cards are actually worth it for your specific travel pattern before assuming points won't fit your trips.

The biggest budget moves families are making

Families aren't choosing one strategy. They're stacking several smaller adjustments to keep summer travel affordable.

• Switching destinations: 25% of parents are choosing somewhere closer or cheaper than originally planned, the single most common cost-saving move.
• Changing how they travel: 24% are driving instead of flying or booking economy instead of premium cabins.
• Cutting accommodation costs: 23% are booking fewer hotel rooms or staying with relatives.
• Shortening trips or traveling off-peak: 20% are doing each, while 19% are trimming activities once they arrive.

If you've already got a card with a flexible rewards currency, several of these adjustments become a lot less necessary. A free night from a hotel card's annual certificate, for example, can offset exactly the kind of accommodation cost that's pushing 23% of families into more cramped sleeping arrangements this summer.

Where points and miles could close the gap

The survey makes one thing obvious: most families aren't choosing destinations based on where their points can take them. They're choosing where they want to go first, then figuring out how to afford it. That's a normal way to plan a trip, but it also means a lot of families are leaving value on the table simply because they haven't built up a points balance to draw from.

This is exactly the kind of situation the Citi Custom Cash Card is built for. It earns 5% cash back on your top eligible spending category each billing cycle, up to $500 spent, which means whatever category families are leaning on most this summer (often gas, restaurants, or travel) earns elevated rewards automatically. For families who'd rather build toward a points balance they can use across hotels and travel portals, the Citi Premier Card earns 3 points per dollar on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel, and hotels, all categories that show up constantly during a family vacation.

If you haven't started earning travel rewards at all, you don't need to overhaul your finances to catch up. Our guide on getting your first credit card walks through exactly how to start, and if you're unsure where your credit stands first, checking your score through MyFICO takes the guesswork out of which cards you'll likely qualify for. Once you've got one card earning consistently, our intro to travel budgeting strategies can help you map out how those points actually translate into trip savings.

What this means heading into the rest of summer

The survey's bottom line is reassuring: families aren't giving up on travel, they're getting smarter about it. Half of surveyed families are spending between $1,001 and $5,000 on summer trips this year, which is a real budget but not an unlimited one. Every dollar saved through smarter card use is a dollar that can go toward the trip itself rather than getting eaten by airfare inflation.

If you've got family members who could be authorized users on your account, it's also worth checking out our authorized user guide, since adding family to the right card can accelerate point earning without adding another full application to the mix.

FAQ

Are points and miles actually useful for family travel?
Yes, though the survey shows most families aren't using them yet. Just 21% of parents reported using points or miles for summer trip funding, which suggests plenty of room for families to start earning toward future vacations even if it's too late to redeem for this summer.

What's the easiest way to start earning travel rewards if I've never had a rewards card?
Start with one card that matches your highest spending category rather than trying to optimize everything at once. A card like the Citi Custom Cash Card adjusts automatically to wherever you're spending most, which makes it a low-effort entry point for families just getting started.

Is airfare actually getting cheaper?
It's mixed. May airfare was 27% higher year over year, but prices have started easing since then, with domestic coach tickets booked three to five weeks out running cheaper than the previous month, and August fares tracking about 6% below last year.

Conclusion

Family travel isn't slowing down in 2026, but the cost of getting there has families making smarter, smaller adjustments instead of bigger sacrifices. The families ahead of the curve are the ones already earning points and miles toward these trips rather than paying full price and hoping for a deal. If you haven't started building a rewards strategy yet, summer is as good a time as any to begin, even if it means starting small with one well-matched card. This article contains affiliate links. If you apply through our links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you, which helps us continue sharing points and miles strategies with the community.