Almost half of Americans plan to travel this summer, but doing so could lead to credit card debt accrual, according to a March study from Nerd Wallet.
Approximately 45% of Americans plan to travel during the summer to a destination that requires a flight or hotel stay. Researchers found that, on average, Americans will spend $3,594 to cover travel expenses.
The study also showed that the majority of summer travelers, specifically about 84%, will be paying for their travel costs using a credit card, but not all of them have plans to pay it off right away.
“According to the survey, 20% of summer travelers plan to use a credit card for these expenses but won’t pay off the expenses in full within the first billing statement,” the study said.
“The most recent data from the St. Louis Fed shows that the average credit card interest on accounts assessing interest is 22.75%. To put that in perspective, for each $1,000 you carry on a credit card per year, that’s around $228 in interest.”
To avoid additional interest charges, experts advise consumers to cut back on some expenses and use that money to pay down credit card debt or pay off the charges as soon as possible.
“To pay off debt faster and minimize interest charges, make a plan you can reasonably stick to,” Sally French, a NerdWallet travel expert and spokesperson, said in a statement.
“If possible, bump up your monthly payments. Even a small increase, like rounding your payment up to the nearest hundred dollars, or taking money received as gifts or from side hustles and applying it to debt, can help,”
However, not everyone plans to acquire additional credit card debt during the summer travel season.
Other Americans planning to travel are opting for more affordable travel and sleeping accommodations. About 42% of travelers are driving instead of flying to their destination, while others, 39% plan to stay in a hotel, motel, or resort based on price instead of amenities offered.
The complete study can be viewed here.
