Few smile across the friendly sky | News
With the summer season approaching, American air travelers are preparing for the most stressful airport experience in recent memory.
According to a new survey commissioned by Ship&Play, a door-to-door luggage and gear carrier, travelers are planning to arrive for their summer flights nearly two hours earlier than usual, fear waiting in long lines and bracing for checked bag assembly fees.
The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults who flew in the past 12 months, conducted May 7-12, paints a picture of a flying public that has lost confidence in the airport experience and is taking matters into its own hands. Six in ten travelers are willing to send their luggage directly to their destination by registered and insured mail instead of checking it at the airport.
Travelers are arriving earlier than ever
On average, travelers say they plan to arrive at airports almost two hours (116 minutes) earlier than usual this summer. Nearly 4 in 10 plan to budget two or more extra hours. That fear is based on reality: respondents reported that their last airport visit lasted an average of 76 minutes from entrance to gate.
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Long lines top the list of fears, but the bag issues run deep
When asked what they fear most about upcoming airport trips, respondents mentioned the following:
• Standing in long lines — 61%
• Delayed or canceled flights — 57%
• Paying to check a bag or other surprise fees — 42%
• Lost or misplaced luggage — 33%
• Having hand luggage checked at the gate – 33%
While queues and delays individually top the list, collectively, baggage-related issues affect most travelers: fees, lost luggage and gate-checked carry-on baggage together affect around three in four respondents. That’s a signal that the battle for bags has become a defining feature of the modern travel experience.
Almost consensus: Airlines will charge more and restrict more
An overwhelming 81% of travelers agree that airlines will tighten restrictions on carry-on bags and further increase checked bag fees over the next 12 months. This near-consensus extends across age groups, genders and regions, and reflects the established expectation that the cost of flying with luggage goes in one direction.
The majority are open to shipping luggage prior to their flight
Perhaps the most striking finding: 59% of travelers say they are willing (27% very willing) to ship their luggage directly to their destination by registered and insured mail instead of checking it at the airport. Millennials are leading the way, with 65% showing willingness, compared to 45% of baby boomers. Men (67%) are more open to the idea than women (53%).
Demand for baggage shipping alternatives is greatest among travelers who also report the most concerns about baggage fees and carry-on checks – indicating that the market for airport-free baggage solutions is real and growing.
“This summer, travelers are not only packing their bags, but also packing their anxiety,” said Jonathan Marsico, co-founder and CEO of Ship&Play. “The data shows that Americans have fully absorbed the new realities of air travel: more time, more money and more uncertainty. The willingness to rethink the way luggage moves from home to destination and back reflects how much the calculus has shifted.”
Survey Methodology
This research was conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Ship&Play from May 7 to 12, 2026. A double-opt-in random sample of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and older who had traveled by air in the previous 12 months were surveyed online. Talker Research is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR). The results are weighted to be nationally representative.
