Survey: 20% of Americans have had a life-changing experience while traveling
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BLUEPRINT
Published 6:00 a.m. UTC June 19, 2024
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Key points
- 52% of Americans are prioritizing “bucket list” trips following the pandemic.
- An astonishing 20% have experienced a life-changing event, such as meeting a romantic partner or deciding to move to a new city, during their travels.
- But bad things can happen while traveling, too: 16% of people have started buying travel insurance since COVID-19, to be on the safe side.
Falling head-over-heels in love, uprooting our lives to move somewhere new or even racking up a criminal record — there are so many ways our lives can take unexpected turns on a dime. And it doesn’t just happen at home. We surveyed 2,000 Americans who traveled by plane in 2023 and found that 20% experienced some kind of life-changing event.
Specifically, 9% of people moved to a new city after traveling there, 8% started a relationship with someone they met on a trip, 5% got engaged or married and, unfortunately, 4% got arrested.
Americans are prioritizing travel
It’s not surprising that so many people are having these major life moments while traveling because we as a country are simply traveling more.
In our survey, we found that Americans are overwhelmingly planning or taking “bucket list” trips (52%) for a number of reasons, including having the travel bug post-pandemic (49%) and surprisingly low travel costs (33%). 1 in 4 (25%) simply fear they won’t get another chance to travel.
Major life experiences can happen while traveling
Climb a mountain in Canada, have a cocktail on the beach in Mexico, maybe go to Disney World — these are the things you expect to happen on vacation.
But meet your soulmate, decide to find a new job and move, or wind up in jail? Chances are good these weren’t on your vacation bingo card.
Don’t be surprised if you have such a life-changing experience while traveling, though. In our survey of 2,000 Americans who flew on a plane last year, one in five reported they experienced some kind of major life event while traveling.
In fact, 8% said they met someone and started a relationship while traveling, 5% said they got engaged to someone they met on a vacation and another 5% got married to someone they met on a trip.
Similarly, 5% of Americans reported deciding to change jobs so they could move to a new city based on their travels; even more (9%) simply just moved there after visiting. And 4% moved to a new country after traveling there.
Younger Americans (18 to 42) were significantly more likely to meet and fall in love with someone while traveling and Gen Z (18 to 26) had the highest percentage of travelers who moved to a city after visiting (16%).
How often do people get sick or injured while traveling?
Getting married, getting inspired to move and falling in love are all great things that can happen when traveling. But there can also be a downside to vacationing.
In our survey, nearly one-third of respondents said they had gotten sick while traveling but it didn’t affect their travel plans. However, 9% said they had an illness so severe it did impact their trip.
More people are turning to travel insurance
Whether good or bad, things happen, even when we travel. And since many Americans are still feeling burned by canceled trips during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’re increasingly protecting their trips with travel insurance.
In fact, 29% of surveyed travelers said they’re paying closer attention to hotel and airline cancellation policies while 25% are booking their trips further in advance. Notably, 16% of Americans have started purchasing travel insurance as a result of the pandemic.
How to find the best travel insurance
If you haven’t previously purchased travel insurance but are thinking about it ahead of your next vacation, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the options. We recommend starting with our roundup of the best travel insurance companies — or, if you’re on a tight budget, the cheapest travel insurance companies.
Not every trip needs the same level or same type of coverage. You’re more likely to want comprehensive coverage, which includes travel medical insurance, if you’re traveling abroad and don’t have health insurance coverage out of the country.
On the flip side, there are certain scenarios where travel insurance may not be necessary — like if your trip doesn’t involve any nonrefundable expenses or your credit card offers cancellation benefits.
Determine if travel insurance is worth it for you, weigh which coverages you need, and get quotes from at least three insurance companies to ensure you’re getting the best coverage at the lowest price.
Methodology
This online survey of 2,000 Americans who have traveled by plane in the last year was commissioned by USA TODAY Blueprint and conducted by market research company Talker, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. Data was collected from Oct. 10 to Oct. 16, 2023. The margin of error is +/- 2.2 points with 95% confidence. This survey was overseen by the Talker research team, which is a member of the MRS and has corporate membership with the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR).
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
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