It turns out the biggest travel buzzkill this holiday season is not the weather or long security lines. According to HotelTonight’s first Holiday Travel Report, the real issue is your own travel habits. The survey of 1,500 users found that more than half of respondents say the worst thing you can do when traveling with others is simple but incredibly frustrating: running late. A full 51% chose it as their top pet peeve, beating out not planning anything, overpacking, and asking someone else to stash your stuff in their suitcase.
What else travelers confessed in the holiday survey
Shutterstock
The report also revealed that most people are not padding their airport arrival times this year. Despite the classic advice to show up early during the holidays, most participants plan to arrive only one to two hours before takeoff. A bold 17% say they will roll in just 30 minutes before boarding because they want to spend as little time in the airport as possible.
Travelers also shared how they really feel about staying with family. Nearly two thirds said they would rather book a hotel instead of bunking with relatives. Privacy was the biggest reason at 52%, followed by 26% who want to avoid family tension.
And while Thanksgiving air travel has been mostly smooth so far, worries remain. Flight delays topped the list of concerns for 44% of travelers, with severe weather close behind.
If nothing else, the survey makes one thing clear. If you want to be a better travel buddy, just show up on time.