Perhaps you’ve heard of the common knowledge statistic than an increasing percentage of people only go to church on Christmas and Easter. At least the people who go to Christmas and Easter make it to church twice in a year! Awkwardly, going to church on those two major holidays is more than how many times people fly on planes!
According to American Airlines in a recent press conference, they found that 87 % of their passengers fly only once a year or less[1]. Wut. That’s crazy! I find that to be surprising because I’ve developed this habit of flying multiple times a month (or at least every few months) for work or for fun.
Because of that fact, I offer this nugget of travel wisdom: fly more than once a year.
But why fly more than once a year?
Allow me to give a few reasons:
Security policies. Sometimes you feel like you just got stripped searched, either by the officer or that new-fangled X-ray machine. Or maybe you had to have the good ol’ pat down even though you weren’t required to go through that three years ago when you flew to Chicago for Uncle Vernon’s retirement. TSA and airport security policies occasionally change depending on the airport or perceived threat to the country. When you fly more than once, it’s easier to get used to what airport security requires when going through security.
Tackle that fear of flying. I think flying is just one of those things that requires an acquisition of habit in order to combat anxiety and worries. How can you get used to flying if you never fly?
See more family. Maybe this makes more sense if your family is spread out like mine. I have family, including extended, across both coasts, Alaska, the Philippines, Canada, Australia, and Italy. It’s really hard to get the fam back together in one place so sometimes it’s easier to just go visit them via flying. Surely you have a 3rd cousin at least three states/provinces away.
See more places. Let’s be real. You probably have a bucket list of places you want to go see. You probably have Pinterest boards full of ’em And I bet a handful of those places require flying. Auntie Agnes might be living near Niagara Falls so why not go visit the Falls while visiting her?
Rack up those airline miles. If you’re enrolled in a frequent flyer loyalty program, you can use your flights as a way to earn more miles. If you only fly once a year, you won’t be earning many miles. Well, unless you fly to Australia once a year. These earned miles can then be redeemed for a future flight so you can pilgr—travel for less!
Speaking of pilgrimages…
If you fly more than once a year, you can go on more pilgrimages! Yay! And there was much rejoicing!
Sure, maybe you’re going to go visit your cousin Jimmy in San Francisco. It just so happens that the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi is in the northern part of town, like a 20 minute drive from Jimmy’s apartment. Why not go on a side pilgrimage while catching up with him?
Question for you—is American Airlines right? Do you fly once a year or less? Comment below!
Resources:
[1] American Airlines: Media and Investor Day, September 28, 2017
JR is a full-time engineer working in the aerospace industry. Apart from having such a fly job, he flies unto the arms of Our Lady and the Church pursuing his faith and a relationship with Christ. Over the past several years, faith and flying via pilgrimages became a thing. When he’s not being fly, JR hangs out with family, friends, his chihuahua, and with thoughts of the next trip.