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These Are the Worst Travel Habits, According to Expedia

May 04, 2018
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2 min read
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These Are the Worst Travel Habits, According to Expedia
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Everyone has a list of things they can't stand to see on a flight. Whether it's the passenger using the air vent to dry underwear or the one hogging the armrest, you've most likely witnessed some inexcusable behavior while flying. Although some behavior is more tolerable than others, there is a general standard of travel dos and don'ts. Expedia released its Airplane and Hotel Etiquette Study and ranked the top travel offenders of 2018.

The study surveyed 18,000 people around the world and identified that the most annoying travel behaviors and passengers are the seat kickers, barefoot passengers and excessively chatty or loud travelers. Topping the list for the fourth year in a row was the seat-kicking passenger -- more than half of respondents (51%) identified that as the worst plane behavior. Additionally, more than 90% of respondents said that being barefoot on a flight is not acceptable. In fact, 75% of Americans said they always keep both their shoes and socks on while flying.

Here's the top ranked list of worst flight passengers:

  1. The Seat Kicker/Bumper/Grabber

  2. The Aromatic Passenger

  3. Inattentive Parents

  4. Personal Space Violators

  5. Audio Insensitive

  6. Queue Jumper

  7. Pungent Foodies

  8. Baggage Mishandler

  9. Armrest Hog

  10. Airplane Mode Violator

The study also asked people about the worst hotel habits and experiences. Inattentive parents were deemed the most annoying in hotels, followed by loud guests dubbed "in-room revelers" and "hallway hell-raisers." Rounding out the top five on the worst hotel guest list were "the complainers" and those who might over-imbibe, deemed "party-goers/ bar boozers." In addition to these findings, 82% of Americans polled said the worst thing to encounter in a hotel room would be bedbugs while 67% said finding a used condom or open condom wrapper would be disturbing.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.