AWAY vs PEJ: Weighing Travel Technology Against Leisure and Entertainment Exposure

Key Takeaways

• AWAY is a global travel-technology fund; PEJ is a U.S. leisure-and-entertainment fund, so the two offer adjacent but meaningfully different sector exposure.
• PEJ is the lower-cost product, with a net expense ratio of roughly 0.57%, versus approximately 0.75% for AWAY.
• AWAY tilts toward online booking platforms, ride-sharing, and travel software, while PEJ spans hotels, restaurants, airlines, cruises, and media.
• Both funds carry concentrated, non-diversified, consumer-cyclical risk and can be highly sensitive to shifts in discretionary spending.
• Tickeron AI Verdict: PEJ is the favored ticker, based on its lower cost, broader sub-industry diversification, deeper liquidity, and longer track record.

Why Compare These Two Travel ETFs?

Travel and leisure sectors often serve as clear indicators of consumer strength, which makes examining the Amplify Travel Tech ETF (AWAY) and the Invesco Dynamic Leisure and Entertainment ETF (PEJ) relevant for those following the consumer-discretionary space. Although both draw from the broader travel and leisure area, they are not interchangeable: AWAY focuses on the digital side of travel, while PEJ targets the operators and experiences that people actually buy. The distinction between how travel gets booked and what travelers spend on remains key when deciding between them.

A Closer Look at AWAY

AWAY aims to follow the Prime Travel Technology Index NTR, which selects companies involved in online booking, ride-sharing, price comparison, and travel advice on a global basis. The fund is non-diversified and began in February 2020 under Amplify Investments. It generally holds 25 to 31 holdings, with significant exposure to consumer-cyclical and technology areas. Common top positions include UBER, EXPE, ABNB, TRIP, SABR, LYFT, and BKNG, plus international holdings such as Trainline, TravelSky Technology, and HBX Group. More than half the portfolio sits in non-U.S. stocks, providing notable global and emerging-market reach. The expense ratio stands at about 0.75%.

Breaking Down PEJ

PEJ tracks the Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment Intellidex Index, a multifactor equal-weighted benchmark covering roughly 30 U.S. leisure and entertainment firms. The index applies screens for price momentum, earnings momentum, quality, management action, and value, with quarterly rebalancing. Launched in June 2005, it has a much longer history than AWAY. Holdings typically include DAL, MAR, SYY, LYV, SBUX, VIK, ABNB, and EXPE. The allocation centers on hotels, restaurants, and leisure, with added exposure to entertainment, airlines, food retailing, and media. The portfolio remains heavily U.S.-focused, and the net expense ratio is around 0.57%.

The Broader Travel and Leisure Environment

Both ETFs operate within the consumer-discretionary cycle, so their results depend on employment trends, wage growth, household savings, and overall travel demand. Current conditions show steady services spending alongside ongoing inflation and rate uncertainty, which can affect booking volumes and operator margins. For AWAY, important factors include the speed of travel digitalization and rising online adoption in emerging markets. For PEJ, the focus falls on hotel occupancy, cruise pricing, airline capacity, and event attendance. Platform regulation and pricing power shifts in airlines and hotels represent distinct risks for each fund. I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how the two compare across industry metrics.

Performance and Positioning Insights

Recent cycles have highlighted the structural differences between the funds. PEJ has often gained from a wide leisure rebound, strength among cruise and lodging operators, and its tilt toward established U.S. companies. Its equal-weight approach and quarterly resets help limit single-stock concentration. AWAY, on the other hand, has shown greater volatility tied to smaller average market caps, a stronger technology focus, and meaningful emerging-market and small-cap exposure. When markets favor growth and digital platforms, AWAY tends to move more sharply; when steady leisure operators are rewarded, PEJ has held up better. The expense gap adds to PEJ’s longer-term advantage. From what I see, the cost and liquidity edges matter in extended holding periods.

Using Tickeron AI Tools in My Research

When evaluating ETFs such as these, I often rely on Tickeron’s AI Screener to quickly scan for patterns, fundamentals, and performance differences. It helps surface how funds align with broader trends without manual effort. This approach has refined my comparisons and supported more informed positioning decisions.

Tickeron AI Verdict

Based on the structural details, Tickeron’s AI currently favors PEJ. Its lower expense ratio, wider sub-industry spread, stronger liquidity, and longer operating history point to a more balanced risk profile than AWAY’s concentrated, higher-cost, smaller-cap global technology mandate. While AWAY could deliver stronger upside in risk-on periods, its higher volatility, emerging-market exposure, and narrower scope shift the balance toward PEJ for investors seeking cost-efficient, diversified access to the travel-and-leisure theme.

Disclaimer

The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.

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