Are you the kind of person who prefers an extra-long weekend just to take a quick detour to an island? You are, then, a perfect example of the modern traveler.
During the past five decades, the ways people travel have changed, and incredibly so. Things such as travel durations, destinations, flying habits, and eating habits have undergone shifts, for better and in some cases, for worse. These changes have occurred because of various factors such as tighter work schedules, wider availability of quick transportation options, and many more.
Changing Travel Trends
Two week-long holidays are no longer a popular choice. Latest travel trends indicate a preference for week-long vacations. Sometimes, people even prefer more frequent, long weekends over full-week holidays. There was a time when party capitals of the world, such as Las Vegas, Paris, and Portofino would buzz with tourists from around the world. Back then, everyone’s idea of a vacation consisted of free-flowing liquor, partying, gambling and nightclub-hopping.
Today, people opt for places that are offbeat and less explored by tourists. Vacation is now a time to relax, away from the humdrum of daily life and closer to nature. Scenic yet cheap destinations with rainforests, lagoons, oases, mountains, and valleys are becoming popular tourist spots. Fresh, local cuisines are preferred over exotic foreign meals. Overall, travel has been modified to fit into your wallet as a cheap yet diverse option. Budget holidays are what people, especially millennials and post-millennials, seek.
Budget Flying Is In
One thing that has changed the most in the past 50 years is traveling by air. With growing competition in the aviation sector having led to a sharp drop in flight fares, budget flights have opened the gates of leisure travel to the middle class. A flight that could have easily taken you 12 days in the 1950s now lasts for a maximum of 20 hours. As a result, less fuel is spent, giving rise to comparatively cheaper fares. One will also observe that airlines compete with each other in terms of offering cheaper fares and better services. Moreover, seasonal and holiday discounts are becoming increasingly common. If you want to travel from New York Los Angeles for Thanksgiving, you can easily plan your trip through one of the many cheap travel options made available by several airlines. All these factors have democratized air travel.
Flying in the 1950s and 1960s was a privilege only the elite could afford. A blue-collar worker could never imagine flying to visit their city of choice. A flight from New York to Kansas City cost around $52. Adjusting for inflation, that is equivalent to $490 of today. At present, you can book the same flight for around $200. Booking well in advance of your scheduled departure may even land you a flight in much less.
Another reason for the exorbitant fares a few decades ago was the availability of luxury amenities. Frills like gourmet meals, expensive alcohol, and ultra-comfortable seats were offered to flyers at no extra costs. Today, such luxuries come at a price. If you’re looking for extra spacious seats, you might have to book a business class ticket, which is sure to burn a hole in your pocket. Keeping in mind that travel should not necessarily entail luxury, several airlines offer budget travel deals, especially during the lean season.
Revolutionizing Travel
When looking to travel, most people nowadays look for the best deals and discounts. There are several cheap places to travel across the world but are there cheap means of travelling to such places? Yes!
At Fly.com, we present the best travel deals to you. We believe that cheap travel is revolutionizing mobility and we make thousands of journeys possible, each day. So the next time you are desperately looking for a holiday and have a tight budget, come to Fly.com!
