Travelers Spend Over $500 on Non-Travel Purchases Per Trip, Expedia Group Study Finds

Why It Matters

Non‑travel spend represents a significant revenue stream that brands can tap through travel‑site advertising, reshaping how marketers reach consumers throughout the travel journey. Understanding these patterns helps companies allocate budgets toward high‑impact touchpoints before, during, and after trips.

Key Takeaways

• Travelers spend average $500 on non‑travel items per trip.
• 62% of travelers make at least one non‑travel purchase.
• Gen Z and Millennials lead with over 70% purchase rates.
• US travelers spend highest average ($660) on non‑travel goods.
• 60% say travel‑site ads provide useful non‑travel shopping ideas.

Pulse Analysis

Expedia Group’s advertising arm released a global survey that quantifies a $500 average non‑travel spend per trip, underscoring a lucrative ancillary market for retailers and service providers. By isolating the $2,000 average travel budget, the study reveals that a full 25% of traveler expenditures flow into categories such as clothing, beauty products, and electronics. This cross‑category spending is not confined to a single region; the United States, France, and Australia top the list, indicating that brands with international ambitions can leverage travel platforms to capture demand worldwide.

The research also uncovers stark generational and regional nuances. Over three‑quarters of Gen Z and more than 70% of Millennials reported non‑travel purchases, with Gen Z showing a particular appetite for travel gear, electronics, and even financial services before departure. Payment behavior reflects this diversity: while nearly half of respondents pay trips in full with debit or credit cards, 13% rely on buy‑now‑pay‑later solutions, a figure that climbs to 19% among Gen Z. Such flexibility suggests that marketers should tailor offers to preferred payment methods, especially in markets like Mexico where 83% of travelers engage in ancillary buying.

For advertisers, the findings translate into a clear call to action: integrate non‑travel product placements within travel booking journeys. With 60% of travelers finding travel‑site ads useful and 73% discovering new luxury brands, the travel ecosystem serves as a high‑intent environment for cross‑selling. Brands that embed contextual offers—whether for apparel, tech accessories, or post‑trip memorabilia—stand to boost conversion rates while enhancing the overall travel experience. As the line between travel and lifestyle commerce blurs, data‑driven partnerships between travel platforms and retailers will become a cornerstone of future marketing strategies.