A recent survey conducted by Expedia has found that air travel is perceived as more stressful than filing taxes or going to the dentist by a significant majority of Americans. According to
Expedia's 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, a concerning 55 percent of Americans consider air travel to be their primary source of stress.
The survey was conducted among 1,000 U.S. air travelers between August 23 and 29. It comes after a challenging year for airlines as they continue to recover from staff cuts and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Melanie Fish, Head of Expedia Group Brands Public Relations, commented on the findings, stating, "No one should prefer getting a cavity filled over going on a trip, so it's reassuring that many of the factors causing travel-related stress are improving."
In recent times, flight delays reached a 10-year high in April, and thousands of scheduled departures were canceled over the July 4th weekend. However, the situation has been gradually improving, with fewer cancellations and technology-driven tools like Price Tracking and Price Drop Protection in the Expedia app making the entire booking and flying experience smoother.
Expedia's annual Travel Hacks Report is compiled based on an extensive database of air ticketing information and offers insights and recommendations for travelers. It suggests booking flights on Sundays, which is six percent cheaper for domestic flights and 13 percent cheaper for international ones. However, it advises against departing on Sundays, as it tends to be the priciest day for flights. Thursday is identified as a cost-effective day to fly.
The timing of departure is also important, with the report suggesting that flights departing before 3 p.m. are less likely to be canceled. Interestingly, 32 percent of U.S. air travelers prefer to avoid morning flights because they find early departures stressful. Nevertheless, data indicates that flights departing after 3 p.m. are 50 percent more likely, on average, to be canceled than those departing earlier.
For the best deals, domestic travel should be booked about a month in advance, while international travel should be planned approximately two months ahead. The report also includes various money-saving tips and highlights the most visited destinations worldwide.
Notably, New York City, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas are the top domestic destinations, while Cancun, Punta Cana, and Mexico City are among the leading international spots. Beijing, China, currently tops the list as the "fastest-growing destination" based on Expedia's flight demand data.
The report's travel insights and recommendations could have proved beneficial for travelers like Morgan Osman, who faced flight disruptions and had to re-book with a different airline. Additionally, it might have offered guidance to passengers like Tiffany Gomas, who experienced in-flight incidents due to stress. Flight-related issues have become increasingly common, with airlines frequently making headlines for flight delays and other challenges.
In April, more than a fifth of U.S. flights arrived late, with a shocking 21.4 percent of flights experiencing delays averaging 50 minutes. These figures were the highest in a decade, with JetBlue Airways being identified as one of the worst offenders.
United Airlines also faced significant challenges earlier in the year when it canceled thousands of flights, leading to criticism of its customer service and travelers enduring disruptions during the Fourth of July holiday period.
The travel industry continues to evolve, with travelers seeking ways to navigate it successfully while minimizing stress. Expedia's report serves as a valuable resource, providing insights and strategies to make air travel a more pleasant and less stressful experience for all. Photo by Chris Rycroft, Wikimedia commons.