Yes, you can be a happy traveler in basic economy.
Want to be a happier traveler? Try this: Take a long-haul trip in January. Or fly in basic economy on a discount carrier. Choose a smaller airport in the U.S., but go for the wow factor if you’re heading overseas.
And leave your snobbery at home. The price-value calculation definitely plays into how much we enjoy a flight, according to he third annual Happy Travelers Report from the trip-planning app TripIt, which crunched the numbers on more than a million flight ratings (ranked by users on a 1- to 5-star scale) to find out which factors have the most impact on the happiness of air travelers.
While some of the results in TripIt’s study are to be expected, plenty of surprises emerged.
Travelers like flights that are either really short or really long.
First, the study looked at whether the duration of a flight impacts a traveler’s satisfaction. Short flights of less than three hours rank very highly for satisfaction, averaging 4.34 out of 5 stars. But guess what beat out the short hop? Ultra-long-haul flights over 12 hours, which slid into the top spot with a 4.35-star average.
The top three rated international routes are Dallas to Sydney (17 hours), New York to Dubai (12.5 hours) and Chicago to Tokyo (13 hours). The highest-ranked DFW-SYD route averages 9 percent higher than the overall average among international flights.
So why are international travelers happiest with the ultra-long-haul flights? That’s not clear. It’s possible that it’s because airlines tend to deliver better entertainment and cabin services across all passenger classes, even economy. Or it’s possible that travelers are simply happier when heading to an exciting, far-flung destination.
The happiest travelers fly in winter and spring.
January travelers are significantly happier than June travelers.
Surprise, surprise. When TripIt broke up the survey results by season, it turns out that travelers flying during the winter and spring are significantly happier than those traveling in the summer. This might be due in part to the downsides of traveling in the summer, such as higher fares and bigger crowds. January travelers rate their flights 39 percent higher than June travelers.
Seat comfort is the most important amenity.
Take note, airlines that insist on squashing more seats into each plane. TripIt found that seat comfort was six times more important to flyers than Wi-Fi. Good cabin service ranked second, demonstrating that the flight crew can also greatly influence satisfaction.
Flyers have made peace with getting what they pay for.
It will come as no surprise that first class ranks the highest among all ticket types. But here’s an eyebrow-raiser: Travelers flying basic economy are happier with their flight (score of 4.35) than those flying regular economy (4.24). And happiest of all are flyers on discount carriers, with a score of 4.5 stars.
This says a lot about how price and value influence expectations. If you pay more, you expect more. But the inverse is also true, so when a carrier exceeds lower expectation, it tends to result in the happiest passengers of all.
Travelers prefer smaller, alternate airports in the U.S.
When it comes to airports, travelers like to get in and on their way. Out of 65 U.S. airports analyzed in the study, alternate airports make up six of the top 10 arrival airport rankings. Not a single major metro airport made the top 10.
So the next time you’re flying into Dallas, consider single-terminal Dallas Love Field over Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport with its five terminals. In Houston, try William P. Hobby Airport, which is dwarfed by Bush Intercontinental Airport. And teeny Hollywood Burbank Airport might offer a more pleasant experience than LAX. You get the idea.
But travelers love to be wowed by grander airports overseas.
Hamad International Airport in Qatar is said to be the world’s most luxurious.
Smaller airports are efficient when traveling domestically, but when Americans fly overseas, they love to be wowed. The highest-rated airports in the study are known for their stunning architecture, cool tech and high-quality service.
Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, often called the world’s most luxurious, rated the highest in the study. Perhaps it’s the five-star lounges, art exhibitions, extravagant shopping, fitness center or spa. Or maybe it’s the sheer sense of calm. “Beyond Islamic calls to prayer which are made five times a day, HIA is a silent airport,” according to CNN. “There are no jarring announcements to disturb the calm, and at certain times it’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop.”
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