Snowbirds, the northerners who flock to warmer southern and western states in the winter, are more financially constrained, mobile, and younger than before.
Every year, millions of people from Canada and the northern states fly south for the winter, exchanging the snowy chill of their hometowns for the warm sunshine of places like Florida and Arizona.
While this migration pattern took a significant hit during the pandemic, snowbirds are back and eager to resume their past life. But things look a little different in 2022 than they did in 2019. Some are encountering surprising changes and constraints—brought on not just by the pandemic but the struggling economy and natural disasters—forcing them to rethink how and where they winter.
Others became unexpected snowbirds when the rise in remote work gave them the freedom to travel—or even make permanent moves—to southern locations.
Inflation, Hurricane Ian and Rising Heating Costs
In the face of rising inflation and a weak Canadian dollar, many Canadians are rethinking their winter months in the south, reported The Globe and Mail.
Stephen Fine, president of Snowbird Advisor, believes that despite the challenges, he expects that snowbirds will still flock south, adjusting their spending to rising prices. “People may try to save by shortening their stay, while others may change their destination entirely,” he said.
For those Canadians travelling to Florida, inflation won’t be the only challenge. Hurricane Ian wreaked havoc on many communities where they rent or own winter homes.
Fort Myers, Fla., has been a hot spot for snowbirds each year, yet it was one of the places hardest hit by the hurricane. Snowbirds like Gary Wilson and his wife will return to damaged homes and communities. “We’re going to have a closer look and get some idea of just how extensive the damage is and whether or not it’s repairable,” Wilson said in a report.
Remote Work Inspires a New Breed of Snowbirds
The increase in remote work during the pandemic has given people in their 30s and 40s early wings. With the freedom to work anywhere, the younger set of Americans see flying south for the winter as a legitimate option for the first time, according to a report in GQ.
“Snowbirds used to be synonymous with retirees,” Minette Schwartz, a real estate agent with Compass in Miami, told Money. “But now, young professionals are migrating during the winter too.”
Schwarz estimates these new snowbirds “make up about 25% of the market’s total selling and buying activity [in Miami].”
Some even bring their families. During the pandemic, Trenton Hogg, a Redfin agent in Chanhassen, Minnesota, told Money he noticed an increase in families moving south because they were no longer tied to a physical school but were doing virtual classes or had decided to homeschool.
The Next Snowbird?
What will the following type of snowbird look like? Only time will tell. We know that remote work has made our world more transient, and people can move to climates that suit them with unprecedented ease.
Snowbirding has become a more dynamic group than ever before, encompassing young and old, employed and retired, and motivated by the shifting economy, natural disasters and the availability of remote work. Regardless of the current snowbird demographic, they all need to manage their health and safety. Snowbirds relocate for several months, unlike vacationers, who generally travel for much less time.
Snowbirds should consider at least two types of health and safety protections. One is health care insurance. Your domestic health insurance plan probably does not provide coverage outside your home country and perhaps beyond your home state or region. It’s essential to check before you travel since a favourable answer could save you a lot of money.
The other type of protection is for travel crises and medical evacuation. Suppose you get sick or injured anywhere in the world. In that case, snowbirds will need field rescue services to get them from the point of illness or injury and medical evacuation if they need continued treatment or hospitalization in their home country.
Written by: David Koo
David Koo, a digital nomad due to the pandemic, is a former combat medic and emergency nurse who is the associate director of operations for Global Rescue, the leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services.
