Booking a vacation flight triggers surprisingly strong feelings of happiness in many people. This is the result of a recent survey conducted by renowned cognitive scientist Dr. Laurie Santos. More than 2025 Americans took part in the survey, which was organized by the airline United Airlines, in January 1.300. The result: 70 percent of respondents said that they felt happy when booking a vacation flight. Dr. Santos explains that the so-called "happiness boost" from the anticipation of the upcoming experience often lasts long after the booking.
Especially in winter, when many people suffer from the gloomy season, booking a holiday offers a welcome opportunity to counteract the so-called "winter blues". According to the survey, 68 percent of participants said that January was a month in which they particularly depended on a positive outlook. Booking a holiday seems to evoke just as many feelings of happiness as traveling itself - almost 73 percent of respondents reported this positive effect.
Interestingly, the joy that comes from booking a vacation surpasses the euphoria that comes from buying material goods. According to Dr. Santos, the rush of happiness that comes from booking a vacation is more than twice as strong as buying clothes, jewelry or household items, and even four times as strong as buying electronics. The reason for this lies in the nature of travel: new experiences and encounters provide long-term joy, while the appeal of consumer goods quickly fades. This effect is explained by the brain's "hedonic adaptation," where we quickly get used to new things.
The results of the survey show how strongly the topic of travel is linked to positive feelings. Anyone who has the opportunity to plan or book a trip can not only look forward to the vacation itself, but also experience the time of anticipation as a valuable source of well-being.
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