- Gen X is shifting from family trips to solo and friend-based vacations.
- More than 60% of Gen Xers book vacations to escape daily stress, the highest of any generation.
- Empty nests and upcoming retirements are influencing this trend.
With their children growing up and leaving the house, Gen Xers have a newfound freedom that is changing how and why they travel.
Gen X is booking fewer family trips and more vacations with friends or solo adventures, according to a report by Morning Consult published in May, which is based on monthly survey interviews with around 2,200 US adults from October 2021 to March 2024. Additionally, more than 60% of Gen Xers — who were born between 1965 and 1980 — cited the need to get away as their primary reason for booking a vacation, a higher percentage than any other generation.
"More than 6 in 10 Gen Xers say the desire to escape spurred their trip plans, perhaps reflecting the pressures of their current life stage," travel and hospitality analyst Lindsey Roeschke wrote in the Morning Consult report.
The percentage of Gen Xers planning trips with kids under 18 has dropped from 28% in October 2021 to 17% in February. The Morning Consult report noted that the drop is likely due to changing life circumstances, such as retirement or children moving out of the home.
According to data collected by the US Census Bureau, there were 22.5 million empty nesters in the US in 2014, the most recent year with available data. Another study published by the US Census Bureau in 2021 found that 60.2% of parents over the age of 55 did not have any children living at home, and those parents either lived alone or with a partner. However, neither of those studies differentiated between Gen Xers and baby boomers or how those numbers have changed over time.
Meanwhile, solo travel and trips with friends have increased and surpassed family vacations, signaling a move toward more personal and self-focused travel experiences.
"Everyone likes to gloss over Gen Xers, but I'm really intrigued by the way their travel habits are shifting as they enter a new life stage," Roeschke wrote.
The next most common reason for Gen X to take a vacation was to visit family or friends, at slightly more than 40%.
Stress and empty nests may not be the only factors
Another factor influencing the level of travel sans families could be divorce. According to Morning Consult's data, the number of Gen Xers taking a vacation with a partner dropped from 36% in October 2021 to 46% in February 2024, the lowest rate in the three-year span examined.
The divorce rate for people aged 45 to 54 — Gen Xers are typically between the ages of 44 and 59 — rose from 13.1 per 1,000 people in 1990 to 15.8 in 2021, according to research conducted by Bowling Green State University and published in 2023. For people aged 55 to 64, the rate more than doubled from 5.1 to 10.6 per 1,000 people.
Financial pressures also play a significant role in shaping Gen X's travel habits. According to a Business Insider and YouGov survey of over 1,800 US adults in July, half of Gen Xers do not feel financially secure despite being in their peak earning years.
This financial strain influences travel decisions, leading travelers to seek deals and budget-friendly options, a trend that has been seen across all generations.
Driven by a need to escape and influenced by financial considerations, Gen Xers are carving out new travel experiences, prioritizing their well-being.
Are you a Gen Xer who recently planned a solo vacation and is willing to talk about why you chose to do so? Reach out to this reporter at cgaines@businessinsider.com.
