From inflation to labour shortages, political discord to war in Ukraine, and even train and plane failures, it’s of little surprise that Canadians want to get away from it all – a notion reflected in a recent survey by Air Transat that shows nearly 50 percent of respondents indicate that relaxation is their main reason for travel.

The survey of more than 1,500 Canadians, conducted in partnership with data services group Maru/Blue, also revealed that the population is eager to experience other cultures.

Among the survey findings:

Why Canadians travel

• The main reasons Canadians travel are to relax, experience other cultures or visit family and friends.

• Gen Z and Millennials say social media is much more likely to inspire their desire to travel over older generations, with females agreeing more so than men.

• Gen Z is three times more likely than the national average to rely on pop culture to inspire their travel.

How Canadians plan for travel

• 63% of Canadians rely on word of mouth to help them plan for a vacation, followed by online search forums and travel agents. In fact, 27% of Canadians have never used an online search forum and never intend to for vacation planning.

• Gen Z is almost four times more likely than the national average to use artificial intelligence to help plan a trip. Ontarians are also the most likely province to use AI.

• Boomers are the most likely generation to use a travel agent when planning a trip, while Gen Z and Millennials prefer to use social media over a travel agent.

Factors in airline choice

• Canadians overwhelmingly agree (81%) that the price of the flight is the most important factor when choosing an airline, followed by reliability and the duration of the flight/number of layovers.

• When it comes to choosing an airline to book with, Gen Zs are the least loyal to a specific brand, and instead say the CO2 emissions of the flight is more important than the brand.

• Despite the stereotypes, men are almost just as likely to be concerned about their baggage allowance on flights as females.

How Canadians save money when travelling

• To save money on a vacation, almost half of Canadians search for deals, avoid peak travel times or track flight prices.

• Gen Z appears to be a planning generation and is the most likely age group to save money on a vacation by booking six months or more in advance.

• One in 10 Canadians intend to gift an experience, such as travel, instead of a physical or cashable gift this holiday. Gen Z and Millennials are the most likely generation to do so.