Americans Say They’d Quit Their Jobs and Travel — But Only If They Had This Much in the Bank
Everyone has a price. It turns out the average American wouldn’t trade their desk for a passport unless their bank account hits this magic number.
This article is part of the Spend Smart series. Read more stories
How much money would you need to quit your job and travel the world?
A new survey of 2,000 people helped pinpoint the exact amount someone would say they need. The results highlight how financial security, rather than just a love for adventure, plays a crucial role in the decision to leave it all behind.
Related: Retirees Are Raking in Billions With These 6 Side Hustles: ‘Very Quick Gratification’
The average American would drop everything and travel the world if they had $287,731 in the bank. That’s the verdict from a new survey, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Travelbinger.
Not surprisingly, the amount needed to drop everything and pursue their biggest travel dreams rises the older a person is: Gen Z named $211,000 as their quitting point, while boomers wouldn’t do it for anything less than $335,000.
The survey saw that people won’t drop everything cheaply. A third (32%) of respondents said it’d take more than $500,000 to prioritize seeing the world. Although, one in six (18%) would set sail for less than $50,000 and a similar number (17%) said there’s no figure at all they could be paid that they’d take to go and travel the world.
The survey then asked respondents how they would spend a travel budget of $1 million if it landed in their laps today. Generosity topped the list as Americans were most likely to say they’d start off planning their million-dollar spending by taking their friends and family on a dream vacation. Exploring historical sites and world wonders like the Great Pyramids, the Colosseum and the Taj Mahal was the second-most common answer to how to prioritize a million-dollar travel budget.
The second most popular thing would be to hit the open road– nearly a quarter said they’d indulge in road-tripping across the U.S. or another country. Building a bucket list of travel goals and working through them for things like African safaris, the Northern Lights and diving the Great Barrier Reef are also featured prominently. Naturally, with a nice travel windfall, many would indulge in sampling luxury resorts and accommodations.
Meanwhile, 18% said they’d embrace the art of slow traveling–taking their time in each location to really experience each place. And 4% said that if they received a million dollars for travel they would give it back as they aren’t interested in traveling.
Top ways Americans would spend a million-dollar travel budget
Taking family or friends on a dream vacation (37%)
Road-tripping across the U.S. or another country (24%)
Visiting famous landmarks (21%)
Exploring historical sites or world wonders (19%)
Building a ‘travel bucket list’ and ticking off every item (18%)
Frequent weekend getaways to new destinations (18%)
Slow traveling—spending months in each location (18%)
Luxury accommodations (17%)
Extended stay in a dream destination (15%)
Volunteering or giving back while traveling (12%)
Immersive cultural experiences (11%)
Traveling to every continent (11%)
Booking luxury transportation (9%)
Learning a new skill or language while living abroad (9%)
Luxury worldwide cruises (13%)
Private jet travel (8%)
Around-the-world plane tickets (8%)
Exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations (8%)
Attending major global events (8%)
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans with 1,000 men and 1,000 women; the survey was administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Friday, Jan. 31 and Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.
How much money would you need to quit your job and travel the world?
A new survey of 2,000 people helped pinpoint the exact amount someone would say they need. The results highlight how financial security, rather than just a love for adventure, plays a crucial role in the decision to leave it all behind.
Related: Retirees Are Raking in Billions With These 6 Side Hustles: ‘Very Quick Gratification’
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