Are you curious to find out what makes flyers happy in 2020? Do you think it's lie-flat seats, on-demand in-flight entertainments, free checked bags, or maybe even free airport lounge access?
Passenger plane, business trip, travel concept. Flying evening sunset
TripIt's 3rd annual Happy Travelers survey has analyzed over one million flight ratings during 2019 to determine what are the magic ingredients for a good flight. How many of these factors resonate with you?
Flight Duration
Maybe to the surprise of some, ultra-long-haul flights longer than 12 hours had a 4.35 of 5 stars rating. A close second was short-haul flights shorter than 3 hours. Survey respondents gave these flights a 4.34-star rating.
Airlines have recently emphasized an enhanced premium cabin experience. Some of the best first-class award flights can be worth it when you're in the air for over a dozen hours. For instance, the Singapore Airlines Singapore Suites class gives you a private suite with a dedicated lie-flat bed.
Best Ticket Types
So where is the best seat on the plane? Once again, the answer might be surprising.
Discount carriers take the top prize. You don't get all the bells and whistles that come with first-class nor the more personalized service. But, you do get the same service as everyone else at a low price.
For legacy carriers, first-class and business class seats are the best places to sit. After that, premium economy, basic economy, and standard economy complete the list. Yes, basic economy ranks higher than standard economy. This is possible because these seats are cheaper and flyers expect a no-frills experience.
As you might expect, the ultra-low-cost-carriers ranked lowest. Having to pay for just about everything except the air you breathe isn't worth the rock-bottom prices.
Best International Route
The highest-ranking international route in 2019 was from Dallas to Sydney. Interestingly, this route is over 17 hours long. Flying in first class on a Qantas A380 can be a great move.
When flying from Dallas-Ft.Worth (DFW) and you have the Platinum Card from American Express, you can visit the Centurion Lounge beforehand.
Other top routes include New York to Dubai and Chicago to Tokyo.
Best Domestic Airports
When flying within the United States, alternate airports had the highest rankings. Maybe it's because there can be fewer delays and less congestion. The top 5 alternate airports in the U.S. this year are:
- Dallas Love (DAL)
- Houston (HOU)
- Burbank (BUR)
- Oakland (OAK)
- Kansas City (MCI)
Some of the lowest-ranking major airports include the San Francisco (SFO), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Los Angeles International (LAX), and Dallas-Ft.Worth (DFW).
Best International Airports
For international travel, consider flying through these top 5 airports:
- Doha (DOH)
- Taipei (TPE)
- Tokyo-Narita (NRT)
- Auckland (AKL)
- Tokyo-Haneda (HND)
It looks like you can't go wrong by flying into Tokyo. If you want to fly to Australia, both Adelaide (ADL) and Brisbane (BNE) had the highest marks for the land down under.
Do you agree with these findings about what makes flyers happy? Maximizing your travel miles and cash for premium cabin flights is still the best overall way to have a pleasant flight. When possible, traveling from alternate airports or choosing discount airlines are great options for the best domestic flights.
