Emily Reeve and her husband, who usually spend Thanksgiving in Hawaii, Florida, or Disneyland, have decided to stay home in Portland, Oregon this year due to concerns about potential post-election unrest. They are worried about traveling and potentially getting caught in airport riots or looting if people are unhappy with the election outcome.
Industry experts and travel agents have noted a trend of consumers rethinking their travel plans around the 2024 election. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian mentioned that people prefer to be at home during election periods and tend to avoid traveling until the political situation becomes clearer.
Research has shown that a significant percentage of U.S. adults are planning to avoid traveling in the U.S. due to concerns about unrest depending on the election outcome. This has led to a drop in domestic flight bookings for companies like Navan.
Security measures are being tightened at airports and polling places in light of the politically polarizing 2024 race and threats toward poll workers. However, despite these concerns, a large number of U.S. adults still plan to travel during the holiday season, with worries about travel costs decreasing compared to the previous year.
Some travelers have accelerated their plans to travel overseas to avoid potential domestic tumult after the election. Others, like a multigenerational family with federal government employees, have decided to postpone their vacation plans due to worries about job security and possible furloughs. Additionally, concerns about political conflicts during family gatherings have led some families to cancel their travel plans and stay home this holiday season.
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Americans’ travel plans are being disrupted by election anxiety
