Greater Number of Americans Have Access to Air Travel than Ever Before

Washington, DC – According to a recent online survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs for Airlines for America, more Americans are traveling by air than ever before, more Americans plan to travel more in the future, and they are overall happy with their air travel experience.

Over eight in ten (81%) Americans traveled by air over the course of their lifetimes and just under one half of Americans report traveling by air in 2015 (45%). When compared to a similar study conducted in 1997, younger travelers and travelers with incomes of under $50,000 are traveling more now than they did in 1997. In fact, airline travel is becoming more and more commonplace for all Americans.

  • There were more personal (88%) trips taken, than business (38%) or personal non-leisure (33%) trips combined. For the 1997 study, a majority of the trips were taken for business reasons, as opposed to personal reasons (47% of flights taken were for business purchases).
  • Over six in ten (63%) of the 2015 trips taken were to domestic locations within the United States.
    • Looking at trips taken for specifically personal reasons, nearly nine in ten (86%) of these trips were to other domestic locations within the United States.

This uptick in air travel frequency seems to be a trend. Over half of all Americans (53%) say that they are likely to fly in 2016, with 2015 flyers being the most likely group to fly again in 2016. When asked why they choose to fly (as opposed to drive, taking a train, etc.), flyers say that price, convenience, and reliability are the most critical factors.

  • For 2015 flyers, the total travel price (86%) and airline schedules (23%) are the two primary reasons for choosing air travel.

When looking at the most important factors to travelers about their pre-flight experience, 2015 flyers say that efficiency is the most important factor; both for getting through security (76%) and boarding the plane (73%). Once the travelers are onboard, they are most interested in space; space for their legs (89%) and space for their carry-ons (75%). Onboard comfort generally was the top improvement that both lifetime and 2015 flyers would advise CEOs to make.

  • Nearly three-quarters of lifetime flyers (74%) and 2015 flyers (71%) suggest that onboard comfort should be the top priority for airline CEOs.

While flyers offer advice on ways that their air travel experience can be improved, overall a majority of flyers (81%) are satisfied with their airline experience. Just one in twenty flyers (6%) indicated that they were unhappy with their air travel experience.

  • Younger travelers (those aged 18-34) report the highest satisfaction with their travel experience (88%) of all the age groups.

These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted December 14-22nd, 2015. For the survey, a sample of 3,019 U.S. adults (ages 18 and over) was interviewed online in English. The sample included roughly 1,262 2015 airline travelers. The sample for this study was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel (see link below for more info on “Access Panels and Recruitment”), partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling (see link below for more info on the Ipsos “Ampario Overview” sample method) and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing sample. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2014 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics.

Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points for all respondents (see link below for more info on Ipsos online polling “Credibility Intervals”). Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=3,019, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=3.4). The poll also has a credibility interval plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for 2015 airline travelers. For more information about Ipsos online polling methodology, please go here http://goo.gl/yJBkuf

For more information on this news release please contact:

Chris Jackson
Vice President
US Ipsos Public Affairs
202.420.2025
[email protected]

Philip Elwood
Senior Vice President
Ipsos Public Affairs
202.831.5367
[email protected]

About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. Ipsos ranks third in the global research industry.

With offices in 88 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across five research specializations: brand, advertising and media, customer loyalty, marketing, public affairs research, and survey management.

Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of €1,669.5 ($2,218.4 million) in 2014.

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