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.
By David James Edited by Mark Klekas
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.
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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.