Turbulence Ahead: Travel Anxiety Soars, Especially Among Younger Generations

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As summer travel ramps up, new findings from Squaremouth, the nation's largest travel insurance comparison service, reveal that flight anxiety and concerns over airline disruptions are top of mind for U.S. travelers.

Squaremouth surveyed more than 2,600 customers to better understand traveler sentiment toward the aviation industry amid staffing shortages, air traffic issues, and recent airline incidents.

Half of Summer Travelers Brace For Flight Delays and Disruptions

Nearly half (47%) of travelers surveyed expect flight delays and disruptions to be worse this year than in years past, signaling growing concern ahead of the busy summer season. This concern comes at a time when more Americans are opting to stay closer to home and are taking shorter flights for their summer destinations.

Of travelers taking summer trips, 31% said they bought travel insurance specifically because they're concerned about flight disruptions or accidents, and 25% even said their travel plans were directly influenced by recent airline incidents and technical outages.

"Travelers are packing their patience this summer as they take to the skies. While they're still taking their vacations, they're doing so differently than in years past, as they opt for closer destinations and prioritize travel insurance to protect against potential issues like delays and cancellations," said Ned Tadic, Manager of Public Relations at Squaremouth.

Gen Z and Millennials Are More Anxious About Flying Than Older Generations

The data reveals a clear and surprising generational divide in traveler anxiety, with younger travelers expressing higher levels of concern than their older counterparts.

• 35% of travelers under 40 say their plans were directly influenced by recent aviation issues, compared to just 23% of those over 40
• 34% of travelers under 40 report feeling more anxious about flying this summer, compared to 30% of those over 40
• 37% of younger travelers purchased travel insurance because of flight disruption concerns, versus 30% of those over 40

Methodology: Squaremouth polled more than 2,600 customers to gauge their sentiment on the aviation industry. The survey was sent to all Squaremouth customers between 5/16/25 and 5/23/25.

About Squaremouth

Squaremouth is a trusted name in the travel insurance industry offering comprehensive, transparent, and competitive coverage to travelers for 20 years through its digital platform. With the largest portfolio of travel insurance carriers and products in the U.S., Squaremouth has insured over 4 million clients.

Media Contact

Ned Tadic

[email protected] 

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SOURCE Squaremouth