New Spring 2026 research from PwC suggests Millennial parents, optimistic about their finances, active on social media, and increasingly open to AI-assisted discovery, are preparing to spend meaningfully on celebrations, gifts, and travel. For retailers, PwC said, that convergence of optimism, platform engagement, and household spending pressure is less a trend to monitor than an opportunity to act on.

When it comes to travel, about 51% of all respondents plan to stay home in March and April, driven by Boomers (66%) and Gen X (60%), Gen Z and Millennials, meanwhile, are going the other direction: just roughly 39% of Gen Z and 38% of Millennials plan to stay home. Roughly 57% of parents with children under 17 plan to travel this spring.

Parents with children under 17 plan to spend an average of $500 on spring travel—compared to $84 among non-parents and parents of adult children. Millennials plan to spend an average of $422 on travel, the highest of any generation—compared to roughly $345 for Gen X, $141 for Gen Z, and $77 for Boomers.

AI-assisted shopping has nearly doubled since PwC’s Holiday Outlook survey, rising from ~15-16% to nearly 30% among key consumer groups.

PwC added that consumers who use social media for spring holiday inspiration spend nearly 3x more than those who don’t ($1,517 vs. $583).

For Millennials, that number is even higher, with social media shoppers spending $2,190 on average compared to $761 on average for Millennials who don’t use social media to find products. But the gap holds across generations; even Boomers who use social media for product discovery spend significantly more ($492 on average vs. $325 on average).

Roughly 50% of Gen Z now use social media to discover spring holiday products or ideas, up from 43% in PwC’s most recent Holiday Outlook. On average, 44% of Millennials do the same, up from 42%.

For retailers, PwC said the implication is direct: the consumer most likely to spend this spring is also the consumer most likely to be influenced by what they encounter on their feed.

More broadly, according to PwC’s latest consumer survey, Americans plan to spend an average of $925 this spring holiday season—roughly 60% of what they spend during the winter holidays. But that topline number might understate the full story. Spending is concentrated among a specific consumer: optimistic, digitally engaged, and more likely than not shopping for children.

Parents with children under 17 outspend non-parents by nearly 4x. Millennial parents plan to spend an average of $1,868—compared to an average of $501 for Millennials without children. Roughly 65% of all parents with children under 17 are Millennials, making this segment a large driver of spring retail spending.

The generational breakdown:

• Millennials plan to spend an average of $1,594—more than other generations.


• Gen X plans to spend an average of $944.


• Gen Z plans to spend an average of $776.


• Boomers plan to spend an average of $351.

Roughly 49% of all consumers say they are somewhat or very optimistic about their overall financial outlook heading into spring. Millennials (roughly 54%), Gen Z (roughly 51%) and Boomers (roughly 49%) are the most optimistic of the generations, displaying a level of consumer confidence even amidst ongoing uncertainty.

An average of 29% of Millennials describe themselves as “very optimistic,” the highest share of any generation surveyed.

Gen X isn’t feeling as positive: only roughly 39% describe themselves as somewhat or very optimistic.