Oct 7, 2026

More Seniors List Travel as Part of ‘Healthy Aging’ — Here's How To Afford It

According to a recent survey by Luggage Forward, older Americans aren’t planning to slow down their travel, with 78% of respondents saying they view it as genuinely good for healthy aging.

The survey gathered insights from Americans aged 55 and older and found that travel is a priority for this group, with almost 90% sharing that they take at least one to two trips every year. However, 52% of respondents reported opting out of international travel due to rising costs.

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MoneyLion consulted with travel experts to learn about how seniors can balance travel with retirement planning as they approach their golden years.

How Americans Over 55 Can Afford To Travel More

Be Strategic About When You Travel

“The retirees who travel the most are not the ones with the biggest budgets, but the ones who are smart about their calendar,” said Audrey Kohout, co-CEO of Luggage Forward. “The typical approach to travel planning is to pick your dates first and then go looking for a price. In retirement, the order should be reversed.”

The best advice is to switch up when you travel, because late winter into early spring is the quietest stretch on the travel calendar, after the holidays and before the summer rush. This means that if you take two trips a year and move one of them into that window, you have done more for your travel budget.

Factor in All Costs

Kohout has observed that trips tend to run over because nobody accounts for baggage fees, seat fees, transfers, resort fees, and gratuities. As a retiree concerned about expenses in your golden years, you want to ensure that you know the final number before leaving so that you’re not caught off guard. This is why cruises and all-inclusives are so popular with retirees.

Sequence Your Trips by Physical Demand

Kohout pointed out that seniors should prioritize trips based on what they ask of you physically rather than by what they cost. She elaborated, “Take the adventure trip, the three-country itinerary, or the vacation with a lot of stairs, while you want to be doing it.”

As a senior, the order in which you take your trips starts to matter more. The aforementioned survey found that nearly half of older Americans (49%) said travel makes them feel healthier, and 39% said it makes them feel younger. With 39% stating that they maintain their fitness year-round to keep up with travel, it’s important that you time your trips accordingly.

Don’t Always Book on the First Platform

Eric Goldreyer, a travel expert and founder and CEO of Savvy, notes that a major travel mistake many make is assuming the first place they find a property is the best place to book it. He pointed out that the exact same professionally managed vacation rental may be available through a direct-booking marketplace or directly from the property manager at a lower total cost because there are fewer intermediary fees.

“Savings vary by property, destination, travel dates and availability, but it's always worth comparing before booking," Goldreyer added.

Book Accommodations That Help You Save

Goldreyer has observed that travelers also underestimate the value of booking accommodations that suit their travel style. A vacation rental with a kitchen, laundry or enough space for the whole group may cost slightly more upfront but can save hundreds of dollars over the course of a week by reducing restaurant meals and other day-to-day travel expenses.

Cheap Travel Destinations

The experts agreed that waiting too long to book high-demand destinations often leaves travelers choosing the most expensive inventory rather than the best. The best way to find the best price is to book far in advance, so you have more options and lower rates.

If you’re looking for a domestic option, Kohout shared that Charleston and Savannah are accessible for most of the East Coast, and everything worth seeing is within a few blocks. She also pointed out that New Orleans and San Antonio are two cities with more airlines competing on them, so airfares stay reasonable.

For those seeking international options, Kohout recommends seeking affordability in the “second” cities. Some examples include:

Considering Seville and Valencia instead of Barcelona.
Porto and Lisbon if you’re looking for the best value in Western Europe.
Greece during its off season, such as May or October rather than July.
Merida and the Yucatan, instead of Cancun.

This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.

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Written by

Martin Dasko

Edited by

Zuri Anderson