A vast majority of Americans (86 percent) are adjusting their travel behaviors in some way due to concerns about disruptions—mostly regarding air travel. According to a new TripIt from SAP Concur survey, which polled more than more than 1,300 U.S.-based users May 5-16, nearly nine in 10 Americans (88 percent) are planning to travel this summer.
The survey found that nearly half of Americans (46 percent) will fly domestically this summer, while just over one-third (38 percent) will travel internationally. Along those lines, about one-third (36 percent) had said a recent flight was delayed while 10 percent said their flight was canceled entirely.
To help mitigate disruptions—although flight delays and cancelations are out of the control of travelers—Americans are only booking with brands they trust (45 percent), arriving at the airport earlier than ever before (37 percent) and are avoiding checking a bag (34 percent). Another 72 percent said they already have a REAL ID, and 84 percent have passport validity for at least the next year (which is especially good, since passport processing can take 13 weeks).
Despite the disruptions, 43 percent of respondents said they’ve traveled more in the past year than in the previous one. And, going forward, 91 percent plan to travel more than or about the same as they did this past year. When asked why they are traveling, more than two-thirds of respondents (69 percent) said they have a general desire to travel more. Other top reasons included taking bucket-list trips (38 percent), increased business travel (34 percent), to attend upcoming events (30 percent) and “travel feeling safe again” (27 percent).
That said, cost (78 percent) and flexibility to reschedule or cancel (47 percent) were two of the top five most important factors when booking travel. Further, cost matters even more to travelers aged 40 and younger; data showed that 89 percent of respondents in that cohort chose cost as a top priority when booking a trip (compared to 77 percent of respondents aged 41 and older). Also important to all travelers was personal safety and well-begin (51 percent), as well as a desire for cultural experiences (52 percent). The ability to balance trips with business travel ranked fifth at 14 percent.
Source: TripIt from Concur
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