Americans Over 60 Who Travel Alone Are the Fastest Growing Group of Travelers and Here Is Why
Solo travel has been rising across the U.S. travel industry, with tour operators, cruise lines, and travel agencies all reporting higher demand in recent years. Within that trend, Americans over 60 stand out as a fast-growing segment, with companies like Road Scholar and Intrepid Travel reporting strong gains in older solo bookings.
Travel companies are seeing more older adults book on their own
Road Scholar, a not-for-profit educational travel group based in Boston, said in January 2025 that solo travelers now make up about 60% of its participants, and the organization has long focused on adults age 50 and older. The company said many of those travelers are women over 60, a group that has become increasingly visible across guided tours, small-ship cruises, and learning-focused trips in the U.S. and abroad.
Intrepid Travel reported in 2024 that bookings from U.S. travelers over 60 increased, with solo travelers making up a large share of its customer base on many itineraries. Overseas Adventure Travel, another major brand serving older Americans, has also marketed heavily to solo travelers and waived or reduced single supplements on select departures, a pricing move the company said helps remove one of the biggest barriers to booking alone.
AARP has also tracked the shift. In its 2024 travel trends reporting, AARP said adults age 50 and older continued to prioritize travel spending, even as inflation affected other household budgets. That matters because AARP counts more than 100 million Americans age 50 and older in the broader demographic that now has more time, more retirement transitions, and in many cases more control over when and how to travel.
The trend is national, but it shows up clearly in retirement-heavy states
The rise in solo travel among older adults is a national story, but it has clear relevance in states with large retirement populations like Florida, Arizona, and North Carolina. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Florida had more than 4.8 million residents age 65 and older in recent estimates, giving travel companies a large base of potential customers who are past child-rearing years and often have more flexible schedules.
What is confirmed is that travel brands are building more products around that demand, including roommate-matching programs, lower single supplements, and small-group departures. What is not yet publicly known is a full state-by-state breakout for solo travelers over 60, because most major tour companies do not release detailed booking data by age and home state.
Airports, cruise ports, and group tour departure cities in places like Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Phoenix, and Charlotte are likely to keep seeing this customer segment because those metros already serve large older populations. Cruise Lines International Association said in 2024 that multigenerational and solo travel were both important planning themes, though it did not publish a separate national count just for Americans over 60 traveling alone.
Flexibility, longevity, and life changes are fueling the shift
Travel advisors and tour operators say the reasons are practical. Road Scholar has said older adults are staying active longer, and the U.S. Travel Association has repeatedly pointed to the spending power of older Americans, especially retirees and near-retirees who can travel outside peak holiday periods and avoid school-calendar constraints that shape younger families’ plans.
Demographics also play a role. The U.S. Census Bureau has documented the continued growth of the older population, and the Administration for Community Living has projected major gains in the 65-and-older age group through the 2030s. A larger population naturally creates more travelers, and longer life expectancy means more people are healthy enough to take walking tours, rail trips, and international group departures in their 60s and 70s.
There is also a social factor, according to tour operators that cater to solo guests. Some older adults are widowed, divorced, or simply have different travel interests than friends or relatives, and companies like Overseas Adventure Travel and Intrepid have said that small-group formats can offer independence without isolation. For travelers, that means more tour choices designed for one person, not just couples, as the travel industry heads deeper into 2025.
