A new survey reveals that airline disruptions and delays are hurting Americans wallets - Insuranks
It’s no secret that air travel looks different in 2022 than ever before. With the airline industry trying to balance crew shortages, a bounceback in travel demand, inflation, and ever-changing pandemic safety measures, it’s been nothing short of a mess for travelers.
We wanted to know how Americans feel about their air travel experiences so far in 2022, and just how many are planning to travel for the upcoming holiday season. We surveyed over 1,000 people to get details about their travel plans. We learned how much money Americans have lost to travel disruptions and delays (it hasn't been cheap!) and how many are buying insurance to protect themselves in this chaotic period of air travel.
You heard it here: travel has made a comeback! Almost half (44%) of Americans have flown at some point already this year. Considering how the COVID-19 pandemic halted travel plans across the nation during the past two years, this is good news for airlines.
As Americans return to the sky, some are remembering how stressful traveling can be, but it looks like most are just glad to go on an adventure. When asked how they felt about their travel experience, most Americans felt either happy (35%) or neutral (45%). A small 15% felt annoyed, and 5% felt frustrated.
We wanted to know if Americans stay loyal to a single airline, or if affordability matters more. The most popular airline among survey respondents is Southwest Airlines (18%), followed by Delta Airlines (17%), and 15% just book whichever airline is cheapest.
Of those who haven’t traveled by air this year, 1 in 3 plan to at some point in 2022. Most are planning to travel for a vacation (53%), to see family (34%), and to see friends (25%). Others plan to travel for Thanksgiving (9%), Christmas (13%), Labor Day weekend (4%) or a different holiday (5%).
Many Americans turned to road trips during the pandemic, but that may be changing due to rising gas prices. Unfortunately, airfares haven’t been immune to price hikes. In fact, 79% of Americans feel that flights are too expensive this year.
Speaking of spending money on travel, Americans who have flown or plan to have spent an average of $729.86 each on flights this year. Almost 3 in 4 (72%) bought one round-trip ticket. 18% bought two round-trip tickets. Just 1 in 10 bought more than 2 round-trip tickets.
71% of those who plan to travel are worried about delays and cancellations for their upcoming trip, but 77% do not plan to purchase travel insurance.
Those who haven’t traveled and don’t plan to say it’s mainly due to how expensive travel is and inflation (67%). 44% are worried about COVID-19 and monkeypox, 32% don’t have a reason to travel, 25% never planned to this year anyway, 16% are worried about delays and cancellations, and 13% just don’t want to.
Air travel hasn’t been smooth for Americans this year. 39% of those who’ve flown have had a flight delay. 4% have had their flights canceled. An unlucky 8% have had flights delayed and canceled, and 6% have had their luggage lost by an airline.
Almost 1 in 10 (8%) of American travelers have lost money because of delays and cancellations this year and lost $243 each on average. It’s no wonder that 7% regret not buying travel insurance prior to their trip.
When asked if they themselves canceled or delayed their travel plans due to disruptions, 16% say they postponed their plans, 6% canceled, and 6% both canceled and postponed their plans.
But travel disruptions aren’t exclusive to taking off and landing on time. 1 in 5 Americans have had their luggage lost by an airline in the past. 27% have stopped flying with a particular airline because of a previous bad experience. 39% have had a bad experience at an airport (and 26% avoid certain airports when booking travel).
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Travel insurance is affordable and covers different travel-related expenses, from lost luggage to delays and sometimes COVID-19-related interruptions. Almost half (48%) would consider buying travel insurance after seeing the airline disruptions this year.
Of those who traveled this year, 79% did not buy travel insurance. 6% did, and spent $121.18 on average (travel insurance should cost about 4%-6% of your total trip cost.) 17% plan to buy travel insurance for their upcoming trip.
Almost 1 in 5 (16%) of those planning to later this year have actually purchased travel insurance, and spent $332.83 on average. The top reasons they bought insurance include COVID-19 concerns (13%), airline disruptions (11%), and to cover the costs of lost luggage (5%).
Over three quarters (79%) of Americans would be more likely to purchase travel insurance if it was under $50 per trip. In fact, 70% would pay up to $50 per trip. 24% would pay up to $150, and 6% would pay over $151.
Since airline disruptions hit the news earlier this year in March, Google searches for travel insurance have risen 22%. Considering many Americans are planning to travel and airlines are still struggling with crew shortages – it’s probably money well spent.
Whether or not you plan to travel this year, make sure you are prepared. Plan to arrive at the airport earlier than normal, keep updated on your flight times through airline apps, and consider buying insurance to cover you in the worst case scenario – which may be more common this year than before.
In August 2022, we surveyed 1,007 people to ask about their travel plans and opinions. Respondents were aged 18 to 84 years old, with an average age of 37 years old. Respondents were 49% men, 48% female, and 3% transgender/non-binary.
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When using this data and research, please attribute by linking to this study and citing https://www.insuranks.com/
This is the most inhumane insurance company I have ever come across. I am now over $15000 in debt to a Greek hospital after suffering a severe car accident. I have a puncture lung and a hematoma the size of a water melon on my hip. I cannot walk and I have had to pay the hospital $8000 not including the car company and all the hotels that are not refunding me for the time I’ve spent in the hospital. They have found a very convenient loop hole so they do not have to help me after the worst car crash I have ever experienced. They have given me nothing and they advertised the adventure pack as something they would provide insurance for. This is inhumane, no empathy and I am completely disgusting with this company and will never associate with any company who associates with them.
Andreas Steger Insuranker
Policy Type: Travel Insurance
Company name: VisitorsCoverage Travel Insurance
I was bitten by a stray dog in Bali. I went to a hospital for necessary treatment as the wound was bleeding and I received 3 shots of 4 of an anti rabies vaccine. The 4th back in my home country. Out of 265 USD I paid, this insurance wants to pay 35 USD only. They call my outpatient treatments, meds and doctors fee an "office visit " that is covered with 70 $ only and from this amount they deducted 50 $ and give me 20 $ only. I was seeking for help in a hospital with a kind of emergency as an untreated stray dog bite can threat your life with an rabies infection and I believed I am well insure. Original costs of this section is 204 $. I feel clearly scammed by this insurance. I contacted VisitorsCoverage before this review but the agent didn't or didn't want to understand my concerns and found my case obviously solved. It was my second time I signed an insurance policy with this insurance but, first time that I had a medical incident. After all, I conclude... it is dangerous to sign with them. I don't want to imagine my bill was some thousand dollars for outpatient treatments and they bluntly declare it an "office visit" paying 20 Dollars only.
AXA is either totally incompetent or they are scammers. Initially, they were quick to confirm that the event would be covered. However, upon receiving medical documentation, they started making excuses. After confronting them about it and translating some of the documents (since they apparently cannot read) they stopped replying altogether. It's been 2 weeks since the last email from them and they still haven't given any clear reply regarding why they are trying to reject the claim. Avoid them at all costs unless you want to spend a month on calls and writing emails without any response. In unlikely case they want to contact me: event # is 7123585018.
There are systems used by this company to make things difficult. Here are some hints below: * The wording in their contract is a sales pitch and on purpose to make you think you have the coverage you don’t. Be very careful- just avoid. * If you make a claim they will purposefully make delays in response times, lose paperwork and tell you to send it again repeatedly. This is a very carefully researched system to have you give up on your claim and walk away. Most do, and that’s a success story for them without having to offer the services promised. Unfortunately, it works well. * You can’t find any information to get ahold of anyone directly. It takes months to get a phone number for an adjuster alone and that’s if you’re lucky. Emails only and that will be slow. * 800 number will get you on a line that is trained to waste your time and not accomplish anything. The long wait times, repeated requests for your info on the phone, and no transfer to anyone useful is a very strong setup to make you give up. We kept on regardless of this. After many months and repeated calls (and emails) we were denied. I got the insurance adjuster (that took a lot of work) which made that call and went through the contract very thoroughly. The wording in the contract can go any way they wish. Again, very carefully set up system in the hopes you will give up. These systems are creating a lot of mistrust and I will personally never purchase travel insurance again, ever.
This company is scam (AXA insurance in Europe) . They charged me on Kiwi website for Isnurance . Then I offered all the proof of cancellation due to Covid , submitted the proof . They wrote me they sent funds to my bank on March 8 th but I never received them ( by the way only 50% of flights -10% processing fees without any proof of explanation why not 100%). So I emailed them 2 weeks later, no response. Then a month I contacted them again and they said funds were released and did not come back to them. I asked for proof , such as wire number , no response . They are fraud. Alena Mahas New York
Not all those who wander are lost.
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