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Home » Travel » Report: Americans Avoiding Travel During Election Week
Travel

Report: Americans Avoiding Travel During Election Week

Kyle Stewart Posted onOctober 27, 2024October 27, 2024 26 Comments

The upcoming election has some travelers changing their plans and either delaying or forgoing travel during the upcoming US presidential election. 


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Thanksgiving At Home

With the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election sparking anxieties across the country, holiday travelers are reconsidering their Thanksgiving plans. Amid concerns over potential unrest, heightened security measures, and economic uncertainties, many families are deciding to stay close to home or avoid certain destinations altogether.

Travel Anxiety Heightens with Election Concerns

Security amplification across the travel sector and at popular attractions should put travelers at ease rather than grow their concern. But it’s more that if police increase security in a given area, it’s likely because they expect a disturbance which means travelers might be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

NBC News profiled a traveler who has opted out of their traditional travel plans this year.

“Emily Reeve and her husband usually spend Thanksgiving in Hawaii, Florida or Disneyland, but not this year.

“I have a toddler now and I’m worried about being in a potentially volatile situation should we be traveling post-election,” said Reeve, 32.

The couple doesn’t have family near their home in Portland, Oregon, so they like to skip town for the November holiday. But they say they’re staying put this time to avoid getting caught in an airport or a popular destination “and suddenly facing riots or looting, etc., because the people in the area aren’t happy with the election outcome.” – NBC News

Their decision to stay home reflects a growing trend among U.S. travelers, who are choosing to avoid airports and popular destinations around the election. According to a recent poll cited in the article from The Vacationer, 64% of U.S. adults expressed concerns about domestic travel due to potential unrest depending on the election outcome.

Interestingly, the winner of the presidential election adjusts how many will travel and how many will not.

“About a quarter said they’d stay home only if Vice President Kamala Harris is elected, while just 16% said they’d hold off only if former President Donald Trump wins; 24% said they’re staying put no matter the outcome, and nearly 36% said the outcome wouldn’t affect their plans.” – NBC News

Airlines Prepare for Decreased Demand

Airlines are bracing for reduced travel demand around Election Day, a trend previously observed in both 2016 and 2020. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian noted, “People like to be home during the election period. They don’t want to be out traveling.” This year, Delta and United Airlines anticipate a temporary dip in travel demand around early November, with bookings expected to bounce back afterward. For example, Navan, a business travel management company, reported that their domestic flight bookings for Election Week are down 19% compared to the same week last year, although bookings for the following week have surged by 42%.

United and Delta are in a better financial state to get through a reduced demand period than peers at American and Southwest Airlines. American continues to report quarterly losses even before election demand changes and Southwest has just this week held off hostile investor group, Elliott Management, from installing its own board of directors due to underperformance. Their troubles could be further exacerbated by significant demand drops.

Driving the Concerns

Political rhetoric has been especially tense this election cycle. Republicans won by electoral vote (not popular count) on a recount in 2000, and again in 2016. In 2020, the election was incredibly close in battleground states like Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, and Pennsylvania with some coming down to just a few thousand votes tipping the election. Unlike those years, the race is neck and neck in the final stretch, the country evenly divided. It will almost certainly delay the official tallies leaving the most ardent supporters on a knife’s edge.

For the first time since 1981, there was an attempt on a President’s life. There hasn’t been an attempt on a candidate since Robert Kennedy in 1968 – a time in which the country was also bitterly divided. The events of January 6th, 2021 have travelers reconsidering the importance of their trips during this period.

Election Years Consistently Produce Hesitancy

In a surprising shift from past election years, consumer spending tends to fall in the travel sector. This year has been a record year across the industry. Through the first six months of the year, travel demand peaked again at all-time highs with ARC reporting increases over the prior year.

“Travel demand remains strong for both domestic and international trips, with average ticket prices down year over year for the first six months,” said Steve Solomon, chief commercial officer at ARC. “Both corporate and leisure travel spending are experiencing similar growth rates and airlines look to continue this momentum through the end of summer and into the fall.” – ARC

To add color to those figures, airfare, while down, was just 1% less than last year – still a substantial increase from the pre-pandemic era. International itineraries were up 2%, but most shocking of all, domestic trips were up 8%.

Conclusion

Regardless of the outcome of the election, passionate supporters on both sides will be outspoken if their candidate loses. Whether that produces unrest is unknown but some travelers don’t believe that it’s worth the risk. Depending on how many forgo their travel plans, and for how long, some airlines could be greatly affected by lower demand.

What do you think? Are you avoiding travel during the election or after?

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About Author

Kyle Stewart

Kyle is a freelance travel writer with contributions to Time, the Washington Post, MSNBC, Yahoo!, Reuters, Huffington Post, MapHappy, Live And Lets Fly and many other media outlets. He is also co-founder of Scottandthomas.com, a travel agency that delivers "Travel Personalized." He focuses on using miles and points to provide a premium experience for his wife and daughter. Email: sherpa@thetripsherpa.com

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26 Comments

  1. Alert Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 10:44 am

    Camel-a is completely unsuitable to be a leader of anything . She is an empty puppet who easily is one of a pair with the empty Brandon puppet .

  2. Dave Edwards Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 10:49 am

    Far left freak from Portland doesn’t represent America. But coming from NBC News this doesn’t surprise me at all.

    As for this nonsense that “ The events of January 6th, 2021 have travelers reconsidering the importance of their trips during this period.” What is reconsidering? Show FACTS that air travel will be down from the same week in 2016 or 2020 compared to the week before the election. Show FACTS that January 6th is the concern.

    Bringing that date up without proper context is purely conjecture and opinion, which you are certainly allowed to, but stating it as fact without facts is poor journalism at best. You stated the airlines noticed the trend in 2016 and 2020, so what does Jan 6 2021 have to do with that?

    Perhaps MSNBC is hiring and you can get a real job where you better fit in. Double benefit, maybe things will turn around for you and you won’t have to fly Spirit as much.

    • Moe Reply
      October 27, 2024 at 11:35 am

      The only riots and looting we need to worry about is if Trump wins. And that’s from the left.

      No one tried to shoot Biden or Harris, only Trump. Multiple times.

      Jan 6 was perhaps not OK, but it wasn’t a spontaneous riot by people trying to take advantage of a situation by looting and killing like is often done on the left. Republicans don’t shmash windows in rage after they lose…

      • Hank82 Reply
        November 1, 2024 at 11:12 am

        You’re right, it was a PREMEDITATED riot by people trying to take advantage of a situation by looting and killing, where people called for the execution of the vice president and broke plenty of windows. Much better…

  3. CMG1965 Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 11:14 am

    Not me. Voted early, flying out to SAV on 11/5 and back on 11/8.

  4. Alert Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 11:49 am

    Camel-a believes she is popular because millions of illegal aliens came to the U.S. to admire her spellbinding rhetoric. The only paperwork she wants the illegals to submit are mail-in ballots for her . Meanwhile , timmy gave each illegal male some tampons . Our nation is a laughing stock because of these two .

    • dee Reply
      October 28, 2024 at 8:56 pm

      I agree You speak the truth and reality..Comma La is a mss…

  5. Patrick Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 2:27 pm

    Jeez… name calling? That’s how you go about having a discussion?

  6. Taylor Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 2:58 pm

    My partner and I are off to Cartagena for election week. The election didn’t factor into our plans, it’s just immediately after a large event he managed.

  7. Jay Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 2:59 pm

    Well I’m flying the day before Election Day. If nothing else hopefully this translates to shorter lines for me?

  8. Jason Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 5:11 pm

    Didn’t even consider canceling Thanksgiving travel plans. Weird.

  9. lavanderialarry Reply
    October 27, 2024 at 8:09 pm

    Voted early. If Trump wins, I’ll be buying a one way ticket out of this country. For good.

    • Dave Edwards Reply
      October 27, 2024 at 9:04 pm

      No, no you won’t. Your stocks will keep going up, your real estate will keep growing and life will be fine.

      Stop crying like a little bitch! Your name isn’t Aaron…..,,Rodgers.

      • Maryland Reply
        October 27, 2024 at 9:16 pm

        Dave, I have also considered this. I respect your insight, but I cannot take anymore of the childish tantrums from a sitting president. For me it’s that simple.

    • Jan Reply
      October 27, 2024 at 9:13 pm

      You didn’t in 2016, you won’t in 2024

      You know it, I know it, everyone knows it

      • Maryland Reply
        October 27, 2024 at 9:19 pm

        Please visit me in Chiang Mai. I know it will happen.

    • dee Reply
      October 28, 2024 at 8:55 pm

      Good. hope so and see if its better out there for you!!!U libs alway sthreaten to leave but we still have BarbarS and Taylor

  10. Coolio Reply
    October 28, 2024 at 3:17 am

    You childish libs aren’t going anywhere. You’ll just cry yourself to sleep. Might want to order a MyPillow

    • Alert Reply
      October 28, 2024 at 8:26 am

      @Coolio … +1 . They will also order a stuffed animal to clutch and hug , decorated with the face of moron Camel-a .

    • Dave Edwards Reply
      October 28, 2024 at 9:57 am

      Most liberals bite the pillow while crying.

  11. Kamaaina Reply
    October 28, 2024 at 4:22 am

    I said I’d leave the States if Trump won back in 2016, and unlike all those celebrity phonies (Miley Cyrus, Bette Midler, Alec Baldwin, etc.), I actually did it. Oddly enough, even my Republican friends respect me for actually staying true to my word.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      October 28, 2024 at 11:18 am

      Where did you go?

      • Kamaaina Reply
        October 28, 2024 at 11:33 am

        I originally was going to the Netherlands through DAFT, but ended up just traveling around the world and having a blast. I’m lucky in that I’m a freelance contractor with some gigs being remote from my laptop, and most my in-person jobs being in mainland Europe. Needed to settle down and have a legitimate basecamp though, so last year I bought a home in Scotland.

        • Dave Edwards Reply
          October 28, 2024 at 12:52 pm

          So the question is did you save money on taxes on the deal? Otherwise what could possibly be your reason for leaving your homeland, assuming it was? To prove a point?

          And what bad exactly happened during Trumps term that “hurt” you?

          • Kamaaina
            October 28, 2024 at 1:10 pm

            Yes, saving money in taxes was also a perk. If you are not present in the States for 330 or more days in a calendar year, you don’t have to pay taxes on earned income. (I still had to pay capital gains taxes.) I’m not going to get into a big political debate, but Trump’s views are contradictory to my own. I still love all my friends who vote for him. You can hate the politician, but you can’t hate half the country. We all have different life experiences and are exposed to different information that formulates our opinions, and I do understand many of the reasons why my Republican loved ones vote the way they do considering some of the loony nonsense in the far left. I also understood and supported my two of my friends who said they would leave the States if Biden won, although neither of them did.

        • Dave Edwards Reply
          October 28, 2024 at 2:08 pm

          Great answers, Thank you!

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