UNITED AIRLINES LAUNCHES YOLO, FLY SOLO AS SINGLES TRAVEL SOARS TO NEW HIGH
In a somewhat ironic turn of events, United Airlines is launching its YOLO, Fly SOLO mantra at the same time as couples everywhere turn their attention to romance, red roses and candlelit dinners. Rather than killing that moment, United Airlines said it is helping empower solo travelers ahead of the National Plan a Solo Vacation Day on March 1, 2025.
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On Wednesday, United Airlines (United) announced it is sharing travel hacks, popular destinations and app features around its ultimate travel mantra: YOLO (You Only Live Once), Fly SOLO. Last year, United recorded its highest-ever numbers for solo travel, and over the last decade, Google searches for "solo travel" have skyrocketed by 223%.
The most popular destinations for single travel on United's global network include Brazil, South Korea, China, India and Nigeria. United's app includes features such as wayfinding, agent on demand and seat preference settings designed to help solo fliers feel confident about their travel. United also supplied some illuminative travel data:
- Solo travel spikes from January to May and again from September to November;
- Gen Z travelers are the most likely to go it alone (77%), followed by Millennials at 65% and Boomers at 57%;
- Unsurprisingly, solo travelers are not intimidated to fly somewhere new or far from home
Ahead of National Plan a Solo Vacation Day, United Chief Customer Officer David Kinzelman said the airline knows customers want to make memories all over the world, and its goal is to help them do that easily - whether they're traveling with a companion or flying solo. He added:
"When you travel with United, you have access to more unique international destinations than any other US airline, and the self-service features in our app mean you can explore a new city with confidence knowing that no matter where you are in the world, United has your back."
Learn from the solo travel experts at United
It's no secret that many airline employees love their job for the travel opportunities that come with it, and with a global network of nearly 70 destinations, working for United is a great start. In the knowledge that much of that adventure is done by solo travelers, United surveyed employees and found that Japan is their favorite destination. United shared some of their employee's tips on solo travel:
- Safety First: Travelers should research the destination and avoid areas that are considered unsafe, and they should share their location with family and friends at home.
- Be open minded: Add to your enjoyment by reading about local history before arrival and learn basic customs and greetings.
- Be flexible: While planning ahead has advantages, travelers should also leave extra time to explore something different or make new discoveries.
- Soak it all in: Solo traveling is also an opportunity to learn and grow as a person, so be open to those opportunities.
- Download apps before you go: Save on international data usage by researching and downloading any needed apps before leaving home.
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United makes solo adventuring easier
As well as lending its support to YOLO, Fly SOLO, United has a range of product and service offerings to make the whole process easier. These include the airline's tailored recommendations, real-time communications in the app or during its onboard experience.
One of those seven offerings is to use GenAI for destination recommendations from United's global network. United's digital magazine, Hemispheres, now offers an AI-powered trip planning feature for every destination the airline offers. By using the Explore with GenAI link, travelers can get tips for where to eat, where to stay and what to do at their destination.
Did you know we also have an aviation YouTube channel here?
The other features include personalized wayfinding, juggling travel details single-handedly, ideal seat preferences, an interactive directions map and United's Connection Saver and Mileage Plus programs. With the National Plan a Solo Vacation Day fast approaching, it is highly likely that United will announce more about solo travel in the coming weeks.
2025-02-14T13:09:55Z
