An Expedia survey highlights just how terrible travel has become in the minds of the public.
Would you rather get a root canal or board a flight? According to Expedia’s 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, 55% of Americans find air travel more stressful than filing their taxes or going to the dentist. Around 61% of people feel stressed about finding a good deal, while 28% are worried about disruptions.
It’s not surprising. The aviation industry is under a lot of stress due to a lack of staff and technical breakdowns–it’s all further deteriorating the passenger experience. The U.S. is undergoing an air traffic controller shortage and there aren’t enough pilots to fill the seats in the cockpit either. The result? Overworked and overstressed staff, high ticket prices, and a barrage of delays and cancellations.
The Expedia report, however, shares many silver linings. According to the research, flight cancellation rates have improved and average ticket prices have decreased by 3% compared to last year. “Air travel has proven resilient over the past few years, with travelers increasingly taking to the skies for both business and leisure. Fortunately for those travelers, the cost of airfare has been below 2022 levels for most of the year,” Chuck Thackston, managing director of data science and research at Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) said.
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Travel Hacks For Your Next Trip
The report also has a wealth of tips for travelers to save money. These findings are based on “an analysis of billions of data points and the most extensive air ticketing database in the world through collaboration with Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) and OAG,” Expedia says.
Book on Sunday: Fliers who book on Sundays instead of Fridays save up to 13% on international flights and 6% on domestic flights.
Fly on Thursday: When you travel has a major role in the price. The best day to fly is Thursday and the most expensive day is Sunday. If you fly on a Thursday instead of Sunday, you can save around 16%.
Fly Before 3 p.m.: The report finds that 32% of Americans avoid morning flights because getting up early can be additionally stressful, but it is actually better to take the morning flights to avoid the risk of cancellation. Flights after 3 p.m. have a 50% higher chance of cancelation than those that depart early in the morning.
Booking Windows Matter: Don’t wait for last-minute deals. Booking 28 days before your domestic trip can save you up to 24%. For international trips, you should book two months in advance to save 10%, but not more than four months in advance.
This report has also determined the most popular destinations for travel right now. New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas take the top spots when it comes to domestic destinations while two of the three favorites internationally are in Mexico: Cancun and Mexico City. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, also tops the list of favorites.
According to the flight demand data, Beijing in China is a fast-growing destination, so in 2024, you might see more and more stories on TikTok and Instagram from this part of the world.
Related: Domestic Airfares Are Finally Falling. How Long Will It Last?