Study finds travellers want comfort above all else

When it comes to a good travel experience, the most important ingredient is comfort, according to a new survey from Collinson, ‘Love the Journey’. Comfort is prioritised by 74% of travellers, greatly out-ranking other factors such as value for money (60%) and efficiency (49%). The survey, which will be released in its entirety later in the year, examines traveller wellbeing among more than 25,000 participants globally.

The world is travelling more than ever, with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicting that 8.2 billion passengers will take to the sky each year by 2037. More passengers mean bigger crowds and more stringent security requirements, adding up to longer queues and greater potential for disruption. These factors could be why travellers are increasingly prioritising comfort over more functional concerns such as cost and efficiency.

Travellers crave comfort so much that they are increasingly willing to pay for additional benefits to help them secure it. The top two upgrade options are airport lounge access (32%), and extra legroom on the plane (31%).

Christopher Evans, joint CEO at Collinson said: “The competition to optimise and monetise the traveller journey is already heating up. The challenge and opportunity for travel benefit providers and airports is to understand where their propositions fit into the millions of unique travel journeys we see each day, and how they can positively impact travellers both in the moment and throughout the broader end-to-end experience.”