A new survey from retirement planning platform Boldin finds that Americans approaching or living in retirement are more concerned about running out of healthy years than running out of money, and that concern is reshaping how and when they plan to travel.

Of the 1,331 people surveyed who are planning for or already living in retirement, two out of three (67%) named travel their top retirement goal, ahead of time with family (51%), hobbies (43%) and time freedom (34%). Underneath that ranking sits a sharper anxiety about what could get in the way of it: the fear of running out of healthy years.

Fear of running out of time, not money
When asked what worries them more about retirement travel, 51% said running out of healthy years to enjoy it, compared to just 8% who said running out of money. Another 36% said both worries weigh equally. That fear is already reshaping when people travel: 29% expect to concentrate most of their travel into just the first five years of retirement, and most expect to be largely done traveling well before their later years. The traditional picture of retirement as decades of leisurely travel is giving way to something closer to a sprint.

"Retirement planning has long focused on making sure the money lasts," said Steve Chen, CEO and founder of Boldin. "This survey tells us people are just as focused on making sure they last, healthy enough to actually use it. Most say they'd travel more right now if they trusted the number in front of them. Closing that gap is exactly what we built Boldin to do."

From confidence to certainty
Retirees are already factoring healthy years into their plans: 80% cited making the most of their healthy, active years as a top motivation. Nearly nine in 10 of those surveyed have factored travel into their retirement spending plan in some form. With a shorter time horizon to act, having a precise number matters more than ever. If they knew with confidence they could afford it, 83% said they'd travel more in the first decade of retirement.

Staying flexible when budgets tighten
Even with economic uncertainty, travel holds its ground. 45% say they're unlikely to significantly cut their travel plans, even if inflation or a market downturn forces other changes. Still, retirees are keeping their eye on the broader picture – 68% said they'd probably or definitely need to adjust overall spending if markets declined significantly in their first few years of retirement, and 14% have already built a plan for that possibility.