Delays, costs, and airport experiences are the biggest causes of friction.
Mobile apps, digital ID and biometrics, alongside human contact, are cited as the primary resources to improve every journey.
Despite encouraging travel volumes in many markets in 2024, travelers continue to be affected by a range of frustrations while traveling, according to Amadeus’ latest US traveler survey, Friction Removed, released on November 20. The survey shows that while delays, planning, costs and the airport experience are among the biggest issues, there is no single cause for concern, with each traveler experiencing friction in different ways.
When asked where the friction comes from during travel, American travelers cite the main causes of anxiety and worry as:
- Handling delays/cancellations (68%)
- The total cost of travel (50%)
- Coordination of travel between several people (47%)
- Navigating through security and border controls at an airport (46%)
- Find suitable accommodation (38%)
However, broken down by traveler type, business travelers generally experienced more friction than leisure travelers. For example, more business travelers than leisure travelers find it more difficult to compare prices across websites (44 % vs. 39 %), understand fees and taxes (42 % vs. 36 %), and find suitable accommodations (45 % vs. 33 %).
Further differences were identified when comparing different demographic age groups, income levels and travel habits. For example, a surprising 491% of Gen Z travelers said that finding the right routes and schedules for a trip is a struggle, compared to just 351% of those 65+.
Technology can help solve many traveler frustrations
It is clear that technology can have the greatest impact in bridging the gaps that currently exist in the traveler experience. When asked how useful technology is in reducing travel-related stress, most travelers cited mobile apps for planning (89%), automatic rebooking in the event of delays, digital tags for tracking bags, integrated travel booking between airlines and hotels, and fully digital identification and travel documents (all 86%) as useful.
Technology is important – but so is human contact
The Friction Removed survey also points to a number of situations where travelers want more human interaction. Leisure travelers sought human contact in:
- Airport Security and Border Control (44%)
- Check-in and check-out at hotels and other accommodation facilities (43%)
Leisure travelers also see an important role for human input when it comes to planning almost all types of trips, led by:
- Family travel (where 47% of respondents want more human interaction)
- Accessibility-focused travel (47%)
- Cruise (46%)
- Solo (43%)
- Group (40%)
Johan Nordqvist, CEO Amadeus in Scandinavia, announces: "”By better understanding traveler frustrations, we can explore ways to overcome them more effectively. Amadeus’ move to the cloud enables greater collaboration around innovation focused on improving the overall traveler experience. By optimizing with our customers and partners – including airports, hoteliers, travel retailers, airlines, payment solutions and enterprises – and leveraging data orchestration across the entire travel lifecycle, we can together help break down the silos in the travel ecosystem that often stand in the way of seamless travel experiences today..”
According to the press release.
