NEW REPORT FINDS AIR TRAVEL MORE STRESSFUL THAN GOING TO THE DENTIST; EXPEDIA RELEASES 2024 AIR TRAVEL HACKS REPORT FOR SMOOTHER TRAVEL

Report Unlocks Stress-Saving Strategies and Best Times to Book and Fly

SEATTLE, Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- According to new research from Expedia®, air travel is a leading cause of stress for 55% of Americans, who find it more daunting than filing taxes or visiting the dentist.¹ To help break the cycle of stress as the busy holiday travel season approaches, Expedia today released its 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report, unpacking data-backed strategies for saving money and reducing stress. Hacks from this year's report include:

• The booking sweet spot just got sweeter:
  • Domestic airfare should be booked 28 days before departure; travelers saved up to 24% compared to those who booked at the last minute, surpassing the 10% savings travelers saw on average in 2022.
  • International airfare should be booked around 60 days out (and no more than four months out) for optimal availability and savings (around 10% on average). Last year, the sweet spot was closer to six months out.
• Sunday remains the cheapest day of the week to book flights, while Fridays are most expensive. On average, travelers saved up to 13%.²
• Fly before 3 p.m. to minimize the impact of delays and cancellations. Flights departing after 3 p.m. statistically have a 50% higher chance of being canceled than earlier flights.³
• There's officially no bad time to book, with Expedia's Price Drop Protection: More than a quarter (28%) of U.S. travelers continue checking ticket prices even after they've booked, but this new product issues a refund if the price of the ticket drops on Expedia after booking.*

The analysis also found that average ticket prices remain nearly flat compared to last year and flight cancellation rates have improved (1.7% of flights compared to 4.1% in 2022³), positive trends for travelers that cited finding a good deal (61%) and worrying about disruptions (28%) as big contributors to stress.

"In terms of stress levels, booking your next flight shouldn't be in the same ballpark as getting a cavity filled," said Melanie Fish, head of Expedia Group Brands public relations. "The good news is many of the things that contribute to travel stress are getting better, and Expedia is constantly releasing new tools like Price Tracking and Price Drop Protection that make the whole booking and flying journey smoother."

Expedia's annual Air Travel Hacks Report is backed by 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.

"Airlines are adding capacity and increasing service to meet the sustained air travel demand we've seen throughout 2023," said Chuck Thackston, managing director of data science and research at ARC. "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."

Head to the Expedia Newsroom to read more insights from the 2024 Air Travel Hacks Report.

About Expedia

Expedia^® is one of the world's leading full-service travel brands, with a mission of helping travelers get the most out of every trip they take by providing everything they need all in one place, ensuring they are getting the most out of every trip they take, and above all else, feel supported every step of the way.  

Our commitment to insights matched with our unprecedented scale allows us to understand our travelers better than anyone else, delivering exactly what they need, when they need it. Our personalized experiences, backed by incredible technology, enable us to deliver the widest selection of product offerings across accommodations, transportation, activities and experiences that help you get the most out of your journey.  

Use our mobile app or visit www.expedia.com to plan your journey with us.  

© 2023 Expedia, Inc., an Expedia Group company. All rights reserved. Expedia and the Airplane logo are trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. CST# 2029030-50.

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About Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) 

ARC accelerates the growth of global air travel by delivering forward-looking travel data, flexible distribution services and other innovative industry solutions. We are a leading travel intelligence company that possesses the world's largest, most comprehensive global airline ticket dataset, including more than 15 billion passenger flights representing 490 airlines and 230 countries and territories. Our solutions and expertise strengthen economies and enrich lives by connecting stakeholders across the travel ecosystem. For more information, visit www.arccorp.com.

About OAG

OAG is the leading data platform for the global travel industry, powering the growth and innovation of the air travel ecosystem since 1929. It has the world's largest network of flight information, covering the whole journey from planning to customer experience. Customers include airlines, airports, travel technology players, aviation service providers, government agencies, financial institutions and consultancies. Headquartered in the U.K., OAG has operations in the U.S., Singapore, Japan, China, and Lithuania. For more information, visit: www.oag.com and follow us on Twitter @OAG Aviation.

*Price Drop Protection available for a fee on eligible flights and for free for Gold and Platinum tier One Key members on the Expedia app. Refund will be the difference if the price of your flight on Expedia drops. Terms apply. See site for details.

Data sources

1 Survey on air travel stress was conducted among 1,000 US air travelers from August 23-29, 2023, on behalf of Expedia by OnePoll.

2 Best day of the week to book, depart and ideal booking window recommendations based on average round-trip ticket prices for January through August 2023, sourced from ARC's global airline sales database. Percentages noted are averages.

3 Flight cancellations and delays hacks based on January through August 2023 flight status data for flights originating in the U.S. sourced from OAG's global flight data platform. Percentages noted are averages.

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SOURCE Expedia