Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Inflation has stopped Americans from buying vehicles of all kinds — but they're still splurging on travel and good times

Inflation has stopped Americans from buying vehicles of all kinds — but they're still splurging on travel and good times

Despite US inflation at a 41-year high, people are still spending on travel-related expenses like flights and hotels.

Even though inflation is at a four-decade high, Americans are still spending big on travel and experiences.

The Consumer Price Index rose 9.1% over the year ending in June per data published this week, higher than the 8.6% over the year ending in May. The 9.1% rate — the highest since November 1981 — is affecting people's spending behavior.

Although some people are modifying how they spend their money like looking for cheaper alternatives amid high inflation, people are handing over lots of money on certain goods and services. Spending on travel and transportation has shot up this year, but on the other hand, people aren't spending as much on vehicles, consumer spending data shows.

The following chart shows the percent change from January 2022 to May 2022 in Personal Consumption Expenditures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The items and services in the chart are some of the things that have seen the largest percent increases in consumer spending during this period.


People are splurging on vacations and good times away from home despite higher prices, as travelers once again take part in "revenge travel." Expenditures on foreign travel were 68.4% higher in May than at the beginning of the year. Spending on air transportation is also almost 40% higher than in January. Additionally, people are spending more on accommodations as they buy hotel and motel rooms for their travel needs.

Monthly Personal Consumption Expenditures data is only available up until May. But with travel demand up as people vacationed for fourth of July and throughout the summer, it may be the case that travel continues to be a popular thing people dish out money on, even with the high costs consumers are facing.

Consumer spending for gas was also up in May from January, with a percent increase of 27.7% for gas and other motor fuel, mirroring skyrocketing gas prices over the last few months. However, Energy Information Administration and AAA data show gas prices have been coming down from their peak.

There are also goods and services that have seen personal spending decline from where they once were earlier in the year. As seen in the following chart, that includes various kinds of vehicles like motorcycles and new autos or light trucks.

People may not be willing to spend big on cars right now with monthly payments soaring. Data from Cox Automotive research shows the monthly payment for a car has reached a record high.


The above chart also highlights that spending is down from earlier this year for different kinds of repairs.

In general, people were spending more on services than goods in May — with spending on services rising $76.2 billion but falling $43.5 billion on goods from April according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×