Placer.ai: Shopping centers see visits rise again in February
Malls are starting off 2026 on a high note.
Placer.ai’s February 2026 Mall Index revealed a strong performance for all three segments during the month. Open-air centers led the category with a 7.3% year-over-year increase in February visits, with outlet malls followed closely behind at 7.2%. Indoor malls saw visits increase 5.0% compared to the same month in 2025.
The February performance builds on strong numbers from January, when open-air shopping center visits increased 6.2% year over year. Indoor malls, which outperformed the other formats for much of 2025, also posted solid growth of 4.5% during the month, while outlet centers saw a 3.6% increase in visits.
Placer.ai noted that outlet malls are especially thriving during peak and evening hours. The segment led all formats in year-over-year visit growth across every daypart (11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.). During the evening daypart, outlet malls saw a 10.0% increase in visits during February, while open-air centers and indoor malls enjoyed 7.8% and 4.8% increases, respectively.
[READ MORE: Placer.ai: Walmart traffic is riding high while Target struggles]
“Outlet mall's traffic softness in recent years likely reflected intensifying competition for value-driven apparel from off-price retailers and resale channels, which siphoned off some of the bargain-focused demand that traditionally fueled outlet visits,” noted Shira Petrack, head of content at Placer.ai. “But if outlet malls can successfully differentiate through dining and experiential offerings – extending visits beyond purely transactional trips – they may be better positioned for a stronger 2026 as they compete on experience as well as price.”
