Regardless of how much they're actually spending, "Americans are saying it will take them about 2½ months to pay off those balances," said Palmer. "That means they'll still be paying off their [charges] into 2020."
Second, those travelers don't have enough saved up to pay in cash or pay off credit bills in one month have likely decided holiday travel is important enough to them that they'll absorb the extra costs associated with carrying a balance. That could be because holiday travel often means family travel: trips to see far-off relatives, often with kids in tow, or a long-promised family vacation.
"They'll willing to take that super-early flight, or connecting one, or drive to a different airport," said Palmer. "They're choosing flights that cost less even if they're less convenient."
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