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Survey reveals how much Americans would need to drop everything and travel the world

NEW YORK — Ever wondered how much money it would take for someone to quit their job and travel the world? According to new research, the magic number is $287,731. That’s the average amount Americans say they need in the bank before they’d feel comfortable leaving their current life behind to explore the globe.

A nationwide survey by Talker Research on behalf of Travelbinger.com asked 2,000 Americans about what it would take to make their travel dreams a reality. The results show that different generations have very different ideas about the cost of freedom.

Young adults from Generation Z would take the leap for around $211,000, while Baby Boomers want a more substantial cushion of $335,000 before they’d consider trading their current lifestyle for a world of adventure. This difference isn’t too surprising when you consider that older adults often have more financial responsibilities and established careers they’d need to leave behind.

The survey revealed some interesting extremes in people’s attitudes toward travel. About a third of Americans (32%) say they’d need more than $500,000 before they’d even consider such a dramatic life change. On the flip side, some people are ready to embrace adventure on a much tighter budget – one in six Americans (18%) would pack their bags for less than $50,000.

Money isn’t everything, though. The survey found that 17% of Americans wouldn’t leave their current life behind for any amount of money. For these folks, the comforts of home and their established routines matter more than the allure of far-off destinations.

The researchers also asked people how they’d spend a million dollars if they had to use it all on travel. The responses showed that Americans are a generous bunch – the most popular choice (37%) was taking family and friends along for the ride on a dream vacation. Who wouldn’t want to share an amazing experience with their loved ones?

Road trips remain a classic American dream, with 24% saying they’d use their million dollars to explore the U.S. or another country by car. Many would seek out the world’s most famous sights, with 21% wanting to visit landmarks and 19% hoping to explore historical wonders like the Great Pyramids, the Colosseum, and the Taj Mahal.

Some people prefer to take their time and really get to know a place. About 18% said they’d try “slow traveling” – spending months in each location instead of rushing from one tourist spot to the next. The same percentage would rather take frequent weekend trips to new places or work through a travel bucket list filled with adventures like African safaris, Northern Lights viewing, or diving the Great Barrier Reef.

Luxury isn’t off the table either. Many respondents dreamed of high-end experiences, with 17% wanting to splurge on fancy hotels and resorts. But it’s not all about comfort – 12% said they’d use their travel budget to volunteer or give back to the communities they visit.

The survey uncovered plenty of other travel dreams too. Some people want to experience different cultures (11%) or visit every continent (11%). Others would splash out on luxury cruises (13%), private jets (8%), or around-the-world plane tickets (8%). A small group (8%) would use their budget to attend major global events like the Olympics or World Cup.

Not everyone shares these wanderlust dreams, though. A small but notable 4% of people said they’d give back a million-dollar travel budget, saying they have zero interest in exploring the world. This matches up with the earlier finding that some Americans just prefer to stay put, regardless of the financial incentives.