Boomers Are Wealthy, Healthy and Driving a Global Travel Boom
As older Americans hit the road, the travel industry responds with nicer accommodations, easier hikes and luggage delivery
After Jean Chow’s husband and mother died within six months of each other, she needed to get away.
The retired mother and grandmother booked a 21-day tour on a private plane and visited six countries. She rode camels in Egypt, cruised the Nile River and hugged the pillars at Stonehenge. The trip, one of two private-plane trips offered by Road Scholar, cost $93,000. Chow, 69, has booked another private-plane trip to visit six countries in Africa.
“I want to do it now while I’m still able,” says Chow, adding that she is fortunate to be able to afford such trips.
Baby boomers collectively have more wealth than any other living generation, and they are splurging on travel. They are living longer, have more free time and are in better shape than their parents and grandparents. As the first of the boomers hit their 80s, there is also a greater urgency to see as much of the world as they can.
That is reshaping travel on several fronts. This generation, who as young adults hitchhiked across the country and backpacked through Europe, now is going on safaris and hiking in the Serengeti on guided tours that offer “easy” as well as “challenging” options.
Boomers want adventure, but also want nice accommodations, good food, smooth connections and fewer baggage hassles. And while many will splurge on travel, there are also plenty of bargain hunters among their ranks.
David Porter, co-founder with his wife, Carol, of Roaming Boomers Travel Services, said bookings are up 20% this year, with most for cruises on small luxury ships. His biggest question is how to keep up with it.
“Do I need to hire more people? Is this going to slow down at all?” says Porter, who attributes the surge in part to stock-market gains padding boomers’ retirement savings. Many of his clients are what he calls middle-class millionaires—business owners and professionals who have between $1 million and $10 million.
His average booking for all cruises is about $25,000. Higher-end world cruises can top $300,000 for a couple.
Boomers tend to take longer trips and pack more bags—and don’t want to deal with schlepping them through airports and on and off cruises. Many are willing to pay outfits like Luggage Forward $144 to ship a 50-pound bag within the U.S., and $374 to get it from the U.S. to the United Kingdom.
Audrey Kohout, the company’s co-CEO, says its core client is 65 years and older. They value ease and also put a premium on customer service, which is why the company is hiring more people to answer phones. “They don’t want to talk to a bot,” Kohout says.
A recent survey by AARP found that older Americans planned to take four trips in 2026. The biggest spenders are those in their 60s.
The survey also found that, regardless of income, boomers shop for bargains. Many use AI to find the best travel deals and use loyalty discounts.
Mark Dennen, 72, was on a plane every other week for his sales job. He figures he traveled four million miles, while his wife, Susan, cared for their two children. He often told her that when he retired, they would travel together.
They have used almost all of his work-related mileage points on their many trips to Europe, where they cruised down the Rhine, and across the U.S. to visit national parks. They take about four big trips a year, with occasional three-day trips in between to places like Nashville. While they are comfortable, they stick to a monthly budget and put discretionary money aside each month for future trips.
Victor Medina, founder of Palante Wealth Advisors, works with his clients to create buckets of funds, including a “great life” bucket for things like travel. He says clients are increasingly intentional about travel, weighing which trips are worth taking.
“If I have a certain number of trips left in me, which ones matter and how can I maximize that experience,” he says. Rather than spend a week in a nice hotel in Europe, they book an Airbnb in a more remote area to immerse themselves in a country and culture.
Leanne and Leon Ryland say their financial adviser urged them to see the world. “You did the right things. You saved. You paid off loans. You’ve got the money,” Leanne recalls.
They took his advice and retired in their mid-50s. In the six years since, the couple has visited every continent, the Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu and all of Disney’s parks around the world. Next year’s plans include Vietnam, Morocco and Portugal.
The Rylands, who live in Australia and never bought a new car until they retired, travel 20 weeks a year and spend an average of $40,000 annually. They want to keep traveling as long as they are able, and stretch their budgets by finding airfare deals, staying in midrange hotels and using carry-on luggage.
Leanne, 61, shares tips with fellow retirees on her Facebook page, SKIClub, which stands for “spending kids inheritance.”
Plenty of boomers are happy to indulge. For them, Road Scholar now offers stays in four- and five-star hotels on some trips.
“Boomers have really changed the way we contract for accommodations,” says James Moses, president of Road Scholar. The nonprofit began 50 years ago as Elderhostel, offering travel and classes to those 60 and older who didn’t mind staying in unused college dorms.
About 80% of Road Scholar travelers are boomers. They are also a big reason Road Scholar began its private-plane trips in 2019, allowing people to see several of the world’s wonders in one trip.
“The boomer ethos is how much time do I have left and what is important to me,” says Moses. “They want to do as much as they can in a reasonable time frame.”