Im skipping SFN this year. I have no plans to return in the future or to bring my lab either. The conference has gotten so expensive that it's no longer cheaper than the smaller specialty conferences where it's a lot easier to meet new people.

My lab will be there this year though! Come see what may be our last presentations at this conference!

The admission fee is one thing, it's the hotels that really kill it. Last year, booking months in advance, the cheapest place I could find was far away and charged $250 a night for a simple hotel room. Book a week later, and that same room is $100. Its daylight robbery.

I won't be there this year (holiday scheduling constraints) but it's where I met people who don't attend the same specialty conferences as me. I've had one substantial collab & minor collabs with people I've gotten to know at SFNs. Agree that this is less likely if fewer people can afford to attend.

You are not alone. For me, it is really a question of value of travel days. As in, I judge other travel opportunities to be of more value.