NEW YORK – Summer travel isn’t canceled – it’s just getting a smarter upgrade. Today, KindredThe global community of home swappers, released its Travel Report 2025: Summer Travel ReportThis report provides a look at the changing attitudes of Americans towards vacations and rising costs. With the average getaway now costing $259.20 more per person – and frustration mounting with traditional lodging, as 84% of hotel guests and 84% of short-term rental users report pain points with their experiences – Americans are doubling down, making more intentional, creative choices to maximize their travel budgets.
90% of U.S. travellers are actively searching for ways to reduce summer travel expenses. Staying with friends and family (41%) is the most popular strategy. Other top strategies include finding cheaper accommodations (40%) and choosing a staycation. Notably, 12% are turning to home swapping – a rising trend in the U.S. that’s long been a popular and cost-effective form of travel outside the country.
What is driving this change? Americans cite rising travel costs (45%), inflation and cost of living (49%), and economic insecurity (28%) as the primary reasons for this shift.
The rising costs of travel are changing expectations. Travel is no longer acceptable, especially with people becoming more selective about how they spend. Travel is becoming more value-driven and thoughtful. This aligns both with budgets and beliefs. The desire to travel the world is still there, but travelers are looking for options that provide greater flexibility, authenticity, and connection. Accommodation models that are traditionally used by travelers are seen as being overpriced, impersonal and unreliable. Kindred membership has increased 7x on an annual basis as more and more people choose home swapping. This allows you to take 10 trips at the price of just one, while experiencing travel in a humane, meaningful way. Justine Palefsky CEO and co-founder Kindred
As costs climb, expectations are rising too — yet many say that traditional accommodation options simply aren’t keeping up.
- The top hotel complaints are high prices for extras (30%); noise and disruptions (27%); expensive dining (26%) and limited kitchen facilities (22%).
- High cleaning or service charges (18%), rising rents (19%) and lack of personal contact (13%) are all common short-term rental complaints.
Saving money is the most important factor for 90% of Kindred members. The average trip costs about one tenth the price of a short-term rental. Over half of Kindred members want to travel more frequently (51%), or experience the destination like a local (52%). Others are motivated by longer stays (45%), and sustainable values-driven travel (44%). One-quarter (26%) of Kindred members say that they have traveled significantly more in the past year.
Kindred, a community with over 100,000 members, allows travelers to access dream destinations at a fraction of the cost. The top cities for bookings by U.S. Kindred Members this summer are:
- London
- Brooklyn
- New York City
- Paris
- Amsterdam
- San Francisco
- Barcelona
- Chicago
- Los Angeles
- Berlin
Kindred’s stays range between $15 and $30 per night. It allows travelers to stay longer, travel more frequently, and enjoy more meaningful stays. Visit the website to learn more. livekindred.com.
Research Methodology
*Research was carried out amongst 2,000 nationally representative US adults. The field work took place between April 28 and May 1, 2025. OnePoll was contracted by Kindred to conduct research.
**Kindred members’ insight was gathered by a global members survey. Between March 11-15 2025, 833 global members filled out the survey.
****The popular destinations on Kindred are Trips starting June 1-August 31, 2025, by destination, booked by US Kindred members. The data was collected in May 2025.
About Kindred
Kindred, a global home-swapping community, is revolutionizing the way people travel by introducing a new model built on trust, connection, and member-hosted homes – an alternative to both hotels and short-term rentals. Kindred, a global home-swapping community with over 100,000 members in 150+ cities, offers owners and rental properties radically more affordable, authentic, and responsible travel options.
