Let’s be honest:
Whenever we take to the highways OR skyways, we all have secret indulgences that make our trips sweeter.
For some, it’s hitting up a fast-food joint they’d snub with a judgmental glance back home. For others, it’s succumbing to a spa day after a grueling flight.
So—
At Passport Photo Online, we’ve decided to survey 1,000+ Americans and uncover the nation’s hush-hush habits on the road.
Keep scrolling to see the gems we’ve discovered.
Key Takeaways
- Most travelers (29%) indulge in guilty pleasures on some trips. Another 28% do so on most trips, followed by 23% who said they always indulge.
- The top three travel guilty pleasures are visiting famous food markets or festivals (26%), splurging on souvenirs (25%), and dining at fast-food chains (24%).
- The most common reason to “let loose” is that it makes the trip feel more special, with 35% of the vote.
- Social media has a major impact on travelers’ indulgences, with about 66% of respondents indicating a moderate to high impact.
- About 73% of Americans admit to having plunged into debt to finance their travel luxuries, with Gen Zers leading the pack at ~91%.
- Over half of travelers (59%) feel a pang of guilt about past indulgences.
Travel and Indulgence: The Irresistible Combo for Many
To kickstart our journey, we wanted to know how often US travelers indulge in guilty pleasures.
So—
Without further ado, here’s the scoop:
It turns out most travelers (29%) treat themselves at least occasionally, with Gen Zers being the most prone to let loose on every trip.
That could be because many Zoomers haven’t yet shouldered the full weight of financial responsibilities (e.g., mortgages, family expenses) older generations often carry. This relative financial freedom may make them more willing to spend on experiences that bring them joy.
Moving on, we asked respondents what makes them engage in guilty pleasures on the road.
Below are the results:
| If You Engage in Guilty Pleasures While Traveling, What’s the Main Reason for Doing So? | Share |
|---|---|
| It makes the trip feel more special | 34.51% |
| The usual rules or restrictions I follow at home don’t apply when I travel | 24.48% |
| It helps me experience the local culture more fully | 19.86% |
| I have more disposable income when I travel | 16.32% |
As you can see, the most popular reason Americans succumb to their vices is that it makes the trip feel more special, with 35% of the vote.
Hard to argue with that.
Social Media: The New Compass Guiding Travelers’ Indulgences
Picture this:
You’re scrolling through Instagram and run into a photo of your friend having a blast on a motorboat. You can almost feel the sea spray on your face and the sun on your skin.
The next thing you know, you’re booking a day of sailing for your upcoming trip.
If this sounds more than a little familiar, you’re not alone.
Our data suggests that social media has a considerable influence on travelers’ indulgences, with about 66% of respondents indicating a moderate to high influence (ratings four and five).
Take a look:
That’s something to remember if you want to stay on budget.
Speaking of which…
We also asked our respondents if they’d ever gone into debt to fund their clandestine travel habits.
Here’s what we found:
| Have You Ever Incurred Financial Debt (Such as Credit Card Debt, Loans, or Spending Savings Intended for Other Purposes) to Afford Your Travel Guilty Pleasures? | AVG | Gen Zers | Millennials | Gen Xers | Baby Boomers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, more than once | 39.76% | 41.82% | 34.31% | 49.12% | 33.8% |
| Yes, once | 32.74% | 48.73% | 40.41% | 26.32% | 15.49% |
| No | 27.50% | 9.45% | 25.28% | 24.56% | 50.7% |
The takeaway?
On average, about 73% of Americans admit to having plunged into debt to finance their travel luxuries, with Gen Zers leading the pack at ~91%.
Ouch.
So—
It’s no surprise that nearly 59% of respondents later indicated they feel a pang of guilt about giving in to travel indulgences in the past.
Do you need passport photos? Find out more:
Travelers’ Top Temptations: A Ranking of Common Guilty Pleasures
So far, so good.
Now let’s examine the specific guilty pleasures Americans engage in.
To do it, we gave survey respondents a list of common indulgences and asked them to pick the ones they were guilty of.
The list comprised 26 items and was divided into five categories: transportation, accommodation, food and dining, activities, and purchases.
Now—
To avoid clutter, we’ve picked the top three most-chosen indulgences from each category, ranked them all from most to least popular, and put the results into one chart:
The data suggests that most travelers prioritize experiences that engage their senses and provide unique memories associated with their destination.
Hence, the top travel guilty pleasures are visiting famous food markets or festivals (26%) and splurging on souvenirs (25%).
Interestingly, there’s also a notable preference for luxury or exclusive experiences.
This includes staying at high-end hotels (20%), attending high-ticket events (23%), and opting for unique or extravagant locations (20%).
Lastly, many Americans still choose pricier private transport with higher environmental impact despite eco-friendly travel initiatives gaining traction.
This may point to an opportunity for more awareness in this matter.
Stacking It All Up
There you have it!
A comprehensive look at America’s travel guilty pleasures.
Now—
Do you have any of your own guilty pleasures you like to indulge in while on the road?
Let us know in the comments below.
Methodology
We conducted an online survey of 1,082 US respondents via a bespoke online polling tool in July 2023.
The respondents were 53.9% male and 45.3% female, and 0.8% identified as other. 27% of respondents were 26 or younger, 43.6% were aged 27–42, 22.4% were aged 43–58, and 7% were 59 or older.
This survey has a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 3%. Given the gender and age makeup of our sample size, the study’s findings are statistically significant for the population at large.
This study was created through multiple research steps, crowdsourcing, and surveying. Data scientists reviewed all survey participants’ responses for quality control. The survey also had an attention-check question.
Fair Use Statement
Did our findings help you learn more about travel guilty pleasures? If you believe your audience will be interested in this information, feel free to share it. Just remember to mention the source and link back to this page.
As a Digital PR specialist and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Max has 5+ years of writing experience.
Over the course of his career, Max’s work has garnered significant attention, with features in numerous prominent publications such as The New York Times, Forbes, Inc., Business Insider, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, BBC, TechRepublic, Glassdoor, and G2.