This summer, More Than 50% of Americans Plan At least One “Micro-Vacation”

According to Allianz Partners USA’s 14th annual “Vacation Confidence Index,” Americans are searching for brief vacations this summer, preferring a “micro-cation” over the conventional week-long vacation.

Since coining the phrase in 2019, the travel insurance and support firm has tracked Americans’ desire to take a “micro-cation,” which is defined as a leisure vacation that is at least 100 miles away from home and lasts four nights or less. A total of 2,011 Americans aged 18 and above were questioned for this study using the Ipsos Online Omnibus from May 2 to 4, 2022.

According to this year’s “Trip Confidence Index,” more than half of respondents (53%) say their next vacation will be a micro-cation, and almost a quarter plan many micro-vacations, or “multi micro-cations”.

Seven in ten Americans (71 %, up from 67 % last year) expect to spend at least one night away from home between now and September, and four in ten (39 %, up from 34 % last year) plan many vacations away from home this summer. Furthermore, Americans anticipate taking 1.4 vacations away from home this summer, up from 1.2 last year. Younger Americans (18-34 years old) and males (40 %) are driving the multiple trip trend, with two or more planned between now and September.

The poll also demonstrated how spending patterns vary depending on the length of the vacation. The average expected cost for a one-night micro-cation is $606; for a two-night trip, the average is $410 per night. The predicted average expenditure for three- and four-night micro-cationers is $325 per night and $323 per night, respectively.