The travel extra UK travellers are willing to pay for

Making travel easier and less stressful is always high on the agenda when going on holiday. But when faced with extra costs, what are travellers actually willing to pay for and which upgrades are they skipping? To find out, we surveyed 2,000 UK holidaymakers to find out which travel perks they value the most.

Which extras are travellers willing to pay more for?

Travellers are prioritising ease and comfort. Whether it’s flying at a better time or going from your nearest airport, most people are willing to spend more to make their journey smoother. Here are the top five conveniences UK travellers say they’d pay extra for:

Direct flights – 81% would pay extra
Flying from their nearest airport – 80%
Better flight times –78%
Taxi to the airport instead of public transport – 75%
Sitting next to friends or family – 70%

It’s no surprise that direct flights came out on top, with 81% of people saying they’d pay extra to avoid a layover. Four in five would pay extra to avoid a layover but only a third (32%) would pay more than £50.

Interestingly though, nearly one in five (19%) said they’d be happy to take the inconvenience of a connecting flight to save money.

In the second and third spots respectively was flying from the nearest airport (80%) and better flight times (78%), both seen as worth the added cost for a smoother journey.

Similar to direct flights, the number of people willing to pay more than £50 for these travel conveniences significantly to just one in five (20%). People may be willing to pay for extras that make travel easier but won’t be willing to pay too much more.

Other popular conveniences include booking a taxi to the airport instead of relying on public transport (75%) and paying to sit next to a travel companion (70%).

The travel extras that people are not willing to pay for

While certain upgrades are seen as worth the cost, others are less likely to splash out on things they see as non-essential extras.

Here are the five conveniences travellers are least likely to pay for:

Priority Boarding – 46% wouldn’t pay extra
Lounge Access – 43%
Fast Track Security – 43%
Extra Luggage – 40%
Extra Legroom – 34%

Nearly half (46%) of those we surveyed said they wouldn’t pay to board first and two in five are happy to travel light, with no extra luggage allowance, while around a third said the same about extra legroom.

Lounge access, fast track lanes and extra legroom may offer more comfort, but for many, they’re not a must have.

Younger travellers are more willing to pay for ease

The research also revealed a clear difference in attitudes across age groups. Younger adults, particularly those in their late twenties and early thirties, are far more likely to pay for extras that reduce stress and save time, whether that’s avoiding a connection or adding extra luggage.

In contrast, older travellers tend to stick to the basics, with fewer willing to pay for anything beyond a direct flight or a convenient departure time.

Surprisingly, according to the survey, whilst 93% of those aged 25-34 would pay extra for a direct flight, this reduces to 68% for those 65 or above.

With the luxury extras, the difference is even more apparent, Nine in Ten (88%) of those aged 25-34 would pay for extra luggage, whereas just over a third (38%) of those aged 65+ would.

Our summary

We know that the journey can be just as important as the destination and for many of us, spending a little more to make things easier is money well spent. Whether it’s flying at a better time, choosing a closer airport, or cutting out the stress of navigating public transport, it’s clear that practical perks still carry the most value.

Depending on the type of holiday, some perks will be needed more than others. For example, if you are wanting to bring your ski equipment on your ski holiday, you will definitely need to pay for extra luggage.

But not every upgrade makes the cut, and when it comes to travel conveniences it is down to personal choice.

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