JourneyPrice.co.uk Reveals What’s Driving the UK’s Christmas Travel Plans

UNITED KINGDOM / AGILITYPR.NEWS / December 20, 2024 / A festive survey by JourneyPrice.co.uk has unwrapped some surprising trends about how Brits are hitting the road this Christmas. With 3 in 10 planning a Christmas trip, the journey itself has become an integral part of the festive experience, with 72% of respondents agreeing it adds to the magic of the season.

For those travelling over the Christmas period, 80% cite family visits as their primary reason for hitting the road. Indeed, Christmas celebrations remain a family matter, with over half (51.25%) of travellers having children in tow, while nearly half (45%) will also be joined by their pets. 

Most will make a proper visit of it, with 40% staying 2–3 nights, though 27% are just there for Christmas Day. Making a day of it will often entail an early alarm – with just 19% of travellers saying they’ll set off in the afternoon.

We all know that festive travel isn’t always fun and not everyone relishes the thought of leaving their new pile of pressies and twinkling tree to hit the road. So, while most travellers are excited (52%), 19% admit to being stressed about the journey. 

The top concerns for Christmas travellers are weather and road conditions, closely followed by traffic and travel time. Interestingly, family logistics ranked as the least concerning, while only 15% are bothered about fuel costs when planning their trip. 78.75% of travellers say they will check traffic and weather conditions before setting off and a further 73.12% will carry a car safety kit - just to be on the safe side!

A third of respondents said their return journey would cost less than £30, though 12% expect to spend over £150. Rising costs aside, 63% say they’ll spend the same on Christmas presents as last year, showing resilience against the cost-of-living crisis.

Despite the challenges, the car remains the go-to choice for Christmas travel, with 73% deeming public transport unsuitable for their festive plans. 

When it comes to keeping spirits high on the road, Christmas tunes are a clear favourite (60%), with conversations coming in second (26%) with only 6% turning to games for entertainment.

Rob Page, Owner of JourneyPrice.co.uk commented, “Christmas is a time for family, tradition, and joy—and our survey shows just how much travel plays a part in the festive experience. This doesn't mean it's anybody's favourite part, with traffic, weather conditions and fuel costs to contend with! However, it doesn't need to be the worst part of it either.

“Good planning can make all the difference between a magical journey and a road trip from hell. Still, 36% of travellers say that they plan their journey less than a week in advance - and almost 20% leave planning to the very same day! At JourneyPrice.co.uk, we’re passionate about helping people plan and save on their journeys, so they can focus on the reason why they embarked on the journey in the first place - spending time with loved ones.”

For more information, visit: https://journeyprice.co.uk or find the full survey results here: https://journeyprice.co.uk/christmas-data-2024/