Retired Couples Spend 50% More Per Trip Than Younger Travelers: The Growing SKI (Spending the Kids' Inheritance) Trend
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The travel trend known as "SKI," which stands for "Spending the Kids' Inheritance," is growing in popularity among retirees. Described anecdotally as a mindset shift, the SKI trend prioritizes spending your money sooner on things like travel and experiences over saving for the future.
Squaremouth, a leading travel insurance comparison site, examined its sales data and found that couples over 65 are spending over 50% more per trip on average ($9,960) than couples under 50 ($6,618), driven by these three distinct booking behaviors:
- They're traveling more often. Trip volume among couples over 65 is up 3.8% compared to last year, meaning more retirees are traveling despite rising costs than they were twelve months ago.
- They're booking earlier and taking longer trips. Couples over 65 book out 6.5 months on average, compared to 4.5 months for couples under 50, and they're also taking longer trips: 15 days versus 11.
- They're traveling farther and prioritizing bucket-list trips. Couples under 50 choose shorter, more affordable trips to the Caribbean and Latin America, including Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. In contrast, couples over 65 choose trips further away to Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Greece) and Japan, or other truly once-in-a-lifetime destinations like Antarctica, Rwanda, Botswana, Kenya, and Tanzania.
They are also spending significantly more than couples under 50 for the same destinations:
- Italy: $11,176 versus $8,076 (+38.3%)
- Japan: $14,275 versus $6,353 (+124.6%)
- Greece: $12,095 versus $7,949 (+52.1%)
"As retirees put more money and planning into these dream vacations, we encourage them to make sure their coverage keeps pace, particularly for costlier, harder-to-rebook trips like international and expedition travel," shared Jackie Mondelli, Chief Marketing Officer at Squaremouth.
For more insights and commentary about retiree travel, connect with our team.
About Squaremouth
For over 20 years, Squaremouth has helped more than 4.7 million travelers quote, compare, and purchase travel insurance online. Renowned for its award-winning customer service, commitment to transparency, and unbiased approach, Squaremouth has been a leader in travel insurance comparison since 2003. As America's largest travel insurance marketplace, Squaremouth.com features more providers and plans than any other platform.
Contact
Lauren McCormick
Manager of Public Relations at Squaremouth
Press Room | Trends & Data | Website
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SOURCE Squaremouth
