Survey reveals Americans’ high 10 journey pet peeves and must-haves

Three in ten Americans stated a stranger has fallen asleep on them throughout a flight in a current journey survey.

And almost a fifth (18%) confessed they’re truly responsible of leaning on a stranger and snoozing whereas on a aircraft prior to now.

With virtually 1 / 4 of respondents (24%) taking a spring break journey this yr, and about three-quarters (73%) having a summer time trip on the books, Cabeau commissioned the survey of two,000 American vacationers with Talker Research to have a look at journey etiquette dos and don’ts, in addition to journey day “must-haves” to make journey days as painless as potential.

Uncovering individuals’s high journey day pet peeves, respondents stated that youngsters kicking the seat in entrance of them whereas flying (59%), individuals ignoring others’ private house (58%) and taking loud telephone calls on speaker telephone (58%) are the worst offenses that fellow vacationers can commit.

Along with these, respondents reported some actually heinous journey crimes they’ve witnessed in motion, citing issues like nostril selecting, hair tweezing and toenail clipping in public journey areas.

RELATED STORY | Packing for a visit? New airline coverage might restrict what number of chargers you carry

Other annoying and customary occurrences embrace issues like individuals taking their footwear off on flights, disagreements between passengers and rudeness to workers.

These journey nightmares line up with survey respondents reporting that the worst factor about touring is having to cope with different vacationers (39%).

People additionally stated that staying organized and ensuring they’ve the whole lot they want (38%) and the bodily aches and pains that include journey (37%) make journey difficult and exhausting.

In reality, within the research, most respondents (72%) stated, “A long travel day feels as tiring as running a marathon,” and almost all (78%) agreed that journey can be much less hectic usually if they might sleep effectively throughout the journey.

Looking into the little issues that make journey a bit much less painful, the research investigated vacationers’ “must-haves.”

Most (65%) stated that having all their journey day “must-haves” is sort of actually “make or break” for a visit or trip, with their high picks being a neck pillow (42%), a refillable water bottle (44%), hand sanitizer (50%) and, in fact, snacks for the journey (67%).

Thirty-eight p.c of vacationers usually take a neck pillow with them whereas touring as a result of they forestall neck ache (56%), make sleeping simpler (49%) and since they want neck assist, as a way to forestall their heads from falling ahead, or to the aspect, whereas attempting to relaxation (47%).

However, not all neck pillows are created equal. People stated a neck pillow is totally ineffective to them if it doesn’t truly cut back neck pressure (26%), or if it’s not supportive of their neck or head in all instructions (22%).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Hottest journey development of 2026: ‘One massive journey’

Over half of respondents (55%) additionally stated that they’ve woken up abruptly after dozing off whereas touring as a result of their neck has fallen ahead or to the aspect, emphasizing the necessity for the suitable kind of neck assist.

“Long travel days can cause increased muscle tension, stiffness and discomfort in the neck muscles, due to remaining in a fixed, seated and unsupported position,” stated John Gallucci Jr., MS, ATC, PT, DPT and chief govt officer of JAG Physical Therapy. “Whether you’re an everyday traveler or not, it’s essential to make use of neck assist, like a pillow, to forestall pressure on the neck and backbone and assist maintain them in a impartial, supported place.

“The proper neck pillow will present full assist by offering full 360-degree assist, not simply the perimeters of the pinnacle and neck. It ought to be comfy, however restrict extreme motion ahead or to the perimeters, in order that your muscular tissues are by no means straining in any course. It ought to be agency sufficient (like high-density reminiscence foam) to offer that assist with out being so compact that it limits regular motion. If it helps your ears keep aligned over your shoulders, then it’s offering the correct amount of assist.”

In the study, more than one in five travelers (21%) reported that a previous trip or vacation of theirs has been completely ruined due to back or neck pain from traveling to get there.

And when such neck or back pain occurs, people said it takes at least a day to go away, on average, taking away from their vacation and enjoyment of planned activities.

“According to the data, the No. 1 reason people travel with neck pillows on their trips is that it prevents pain in their neck, and the top reason people don’t travel with neck pillows is that they don’t find it to be useful,” said David Sternlight, chief executive officer of Cabeau. “At Cabeau, science and data fuel our innovation, and we design products that define what comfort and support should feel like. From the beginning, our foundation has been rooted in science-based research and real consumer insights. By understanding the body’s natural pressure points and common pain areas, we design products that deliver long-lasting comfort — not just on the journey, but long after you arrive.

“Every product we make is born from curiosity, engineering and a relentless commitment to quality. We test, refine, rebuild and rethink every detail until it genuinely improves someone’s life on the move. At Cabeau, we believe that when people travel better, they live better.”

Top 10 travel pet peeves

1. Letting your children kick the seat in front of them (59%)
2. Ignoring personal space (58%)
3. Talking loudly on the phone / taking a call on speakerphone (58%)
4. Treating employees disrespectfully (flight/train attendants, hotel staff, etc.) (56%)
5. Playing audio without headphones (50%)
6. Hogging the armrests (on a plane, train, etc.) (47%)
7. Reclining your seat as far as it can go (42%)
8. Taking your shoes off on public transportation (a bus, train, plane, etc.) (38%)
9. Taking more overhead space than you’re allotted (34%)
10. Falling asleep on a stranger while on a plane (30%)

Top 10 travel day “must-haves”

1. Snacks (67%)
2. Hand sanitizer (50%)
3. Refillable water bottle (44%)
4. Neck pillow (42%)
5. Tissues (41%)
6. Disinfecting wipes (40%)
7. Extra charging cables (38%)
8. Portable energy financial institution (38%)
9. Noise-canceling headphones (38%)
10. Copies/pictures of any essential paperwork (35%)

Research methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 American vacationers (those that plan to journey within the subsequent 12 months) who’ve entry to the web; the survey was commissioned by Cabeau and administered and performed on-line by Talker Research between March 6 and March 16, 2026.