Click, Book, Go: Travel Technology Use Among Travelers Age 50-Plus

Travel is big among older Americans, and many are finding it’s easier than ever to get away, thanks to technology. Hotel and airline websites are popular, although fewer vacationers use apps and some are overwhelmed and worried about the security of digital tools, according to a new AARP report.

A national online survey of 1,000 adults 50-plus who have traveled in the past 12 months or plan to travel in the next year shows that older Americans are partial to trips with their spouse, intergenerational family trips, and excursions with friends. Still, 90% express some concern about the cost of their next adventure.

The tech–travel journey

An overwhelming 94% of respondents said they were at least somewhat comfortable with technology. Many leverage it across each phase of their travel journey: 89% have used it in planning and research, 87% in booking, and 80% during travel.

Those who use tech for travel report spending more than three times the amount of money on their travel as those who do not. Adults with low budgets are less likely to use digital tools, although many have heard of them.

During the travel research and planning phase, websites are popular. Most older consumers (87%) use hotel websites, 75% rely on airline websites, and 73% look to online booking mega-sites. Some travelers use online sources for research and planning such as a hotel’s app (48%) or travel blogs (26%), the AARP survey found.

Travelers book travel directly on websites, more so than apps. Once on a trip, 77% of travelers commonly use navigation apps. As for flying, most older adults are aware of mobile boarding passes, yet still go with paper. No one tool was used by more than half of travelers on their most recent trip, suggesting that travelers use different tools for different trips.

Travel tech benefits and risks

In general, older adults are interested in technology for travel. A strong 85% are excited about its potential for saving them money, 77% see potential time savings, and 77% say tech is helpful handling unexpected changes during travel.

Yet, hesitations using tech increased through each phase of the travel journey. Those who were more hesitant about technology expressed a variety of reservations. Some (38%) say they are just overwhelmed by the number of digital tools available. Another 13% believe that using tech is not worth the hassle. Respondents were also concerned about being scammed or having their data stolen with online tools — and more so while on a trip. While 38% expressed worry about fraud or digital security during the travel research and planning process, 50% were concerned about it during booking, and 59% were concerned about a scam while on an excursion.

Women more than men say they are leery of travel scams and fraud during booking (55% vs. 44%) and during travel (63% vs. 55%). They also were more likely to mention concerns about data privacy, with 31% of woman expressing such concerns compared to 27% of men. The report suggests that travelers should receive greater reassurance that digital tools are safe to use.

Unsurprisingly, adults ages 50-plus who say they are not at all or not very comfortable with technology on average use fewer tools (1.6) than those very or extremely comfortable with tech (4.6).

AI in travel: Opportunity and skepticism

The advent of AI opens up possibilities for travel, intriguing many older adults. About nine in 10 say they are familiar with AI, and eight in 10 of those are aware of its role with travel. About one-third of respondents already use AI or indicated interest in using it to personalize their travel experience, and 45% hope it could save them time or money.

However, AI is not without its skeptics: 70% of adults have concerns about AI data privacy, 63% bemoan AI’s lack of the human touch in travel, and only 36% believe AI will provide the most relevant, updated travel information. Addressing these concerns could lead to greater adoption, according to the report.

Getting up to speed with the latest travel tech is appealing to about three-quarters of respondents. AARP suggests that it’s important to consider how older adults want to learn. The survey shows they prefer online tutorials and videos as well as hands-on instruction from a family member or friend. Those with higher travel budgets are more interested in using online resources to learn about digital tools for travel.

The qualitative supplement to the report captures personal experiences, insights, and concerns from older travelers about their interactions with digital tools and AI during the travel journey.

Methodology

Findings come from a July 2024 online survey of 1,000 American adults age 50-plus who have traveled in past 12 months or plan to travel in the next 12 months. The sample was balanced for age and gender.

For more information, please contact Brittne Kakulla at bkakulla@aarp.org. For media inquiries, contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.