What 90M Cards Reveal About Q3 Travel Spending

We analyzed spending from more than 90 million credit and debit cards to understand how travelers (50+ miles from home) spent in Q3 2025 compared to Q3 2024. Traveler spending rose 7.04% year over year… but the more important story is how that spending shifted, and what it signals for destinations.

What’s happening and what it means for destinations: 

Value is reshaping the visitor wallet.

Fast food and grocery spend are growing, while sit-down dining is slipping.

What to do? Highlight affordable, local, and quick dining. Promote “under $20” lists, dining weeks, and casual favorites to help support locally-owned businesses while also giving travelers what they’re looking for.

Experiences are still winning.

Experiences are proving remarkably resilient. Even as travelers pull back on lodging and dining, they’re still spending on the moments that make a trip feel worth it.

What to do? Lead with attractions, events, culture, and outdoor experiences, and move “things to do” earlier in trip inspiration.

Lodging spend is tightening.

A big drop in accommodation spending (-0.85 pts) signals shorter stays, budget accommodations, alternative lodging, and/or fewer overnight trips.

What to do? Partner with hotels on value-driven packages, push midweek breaks with lower nightly rates, and highlight included amenities to ensure that travelers feel that the stay is worth the spend. 

Visitors are moving less after arrival.

Declines in transportation and fuel point to a growing ‘park once,’ mindset, where visitors stay close to where they sleep, eat and park. 

What to do? Create walkable neighborhood itineraries and highlight districts where visitors can easily stay, eat, and explore. But remember: Less movement means less opportunities for visitors to discover (and spend in) other parts of your destination. Proactively market nearby areas by highlighting what makes them worth the extra time and money to visit. 

The Bottom Line

Visitor spending is shifting. Q3 showed us that lower-and middle-income travelers are prioritizing value without giving up on meaningful experience. To reach the majority of travelers in the bottom half of today’s K-shaped economy, destinations should lean into affordability while clearly highlighting what makes it feel special… And then make it easy to explore once they arrive. Those that strike this balance will be best positioned to capture a larger share of a more selective travel wallet. 

Talk to your CX rep or schedule a time to talk about turning these spending trends into a smarter destination strategy.