Reflections on Air Travel: A Holiday Journey

I’ve never really seen flying as a luxury, and my recent trip from Dallas to Detroit on Christmas morning was no different. Honestly, I think everyone on that plane just wanted the whole experience to wrap up as fast as possible.

I braced myself for the usual jet bridge chaos, found my seat, and thought about tuning out the safety announcements while hoping for a quick nap. As we leveled off, I finally began to drift off—at least for a moment, until the dreaded announcement came over the loudspeaker. “We would like to take this opportunity to share our special promotions with you.”

For a brief second, I toyed with the idea of pulling the emergency door handle. I mean, what could be worse than listening to a sales pitch while stuck at 33,000 feet?

When I arrive at the airport, I am prepared to suffer.

After that fleeting thought, I decided to focus instead on the announcements, perhaps overthinking the passive voice used in their spiel, and let out a resigned sigh. It was almost as if the airline was saying, “Here’s an offer we’re presenting to you without your actual consent.”

Let me clarify. Traveling by air often isn’t the smoothest experience. If you’ve been on a flight at least once, you’re probably more than aware of this reality.

I found myself wedged in a middle seat for two full hours. I also spent an unexpectedly long time on the pavement, nearly missing my flight after TSA took their sweet time responding to a bomb threat—thankfully, it turned out to be just a toddler’s sippy cup.

I know this: When I show up at the airport, I prepare for discomfort.

However, air travel and I had a sort of unspoken agreement. Once I completed the airport’s elaborate rituals and settled into my seat, I figured I could endure those few hours mostly unbothered.

Growing up, I endured lengthy road trips with my parents and seven siblings, so I considered myself pretty well-equipped to handle cramped travel. The trick? Just retreat into your own mind, ignore the chaos, and let the dull misery fade into the background.

This is why I appreciate Delta Airlines’ recent move to end in-flight snacks for flights shorter than 350 miles. Seriously, who wants their sleep interrupted by a flight attendant asking if they’d like apple juice during a short flight?

Once you land and experience the chaotic scramble to exit the plane, all you really need is for your ears to pop and your backside to stop hurting.

But I suppose I should have anticipated that modernity wouldn’t rest easily. Like a hungry lion, always looking for its next meal. If you interpret “meal” as taking both your money and your spirit. Most airline passengers aren’t exactly sober-minded, so the ordeal can be quite overwhelming.

American Airlines isn’t the only one trying to streamline the flying experience. I’ve seen haphazard promotions on Spirit Airlines, heard random pitches from Frontier, and even been prompted about the Delta credit card while holding one in my wallet.

I can somewhat understand why airlines opt to make these pitches. It turns out many of them operate more like banks than actual airlines. They’re often losing money on the flying side, which explains their repetitive efforts to steer customers toward more lucrative offerings.

We can discuss loyalty programs and their effects on the industry another time. Right now, I have two significant concerns.

First, how long can you handle these persistent credit card touts before you want to scream—or worse, injure yourself trying to get out of it?

Second, can we prevent this distressing sales tactic from leaching into other forms of transportation? How soon until I have to endure a sales pitch for my Honda GroundMiles card at every traffic light?

Honestly, I don’t expect much from my travels. Be it stuck in Dallas traffic or soaring above Oklahoma, my main goal is to survive without the added strain of corporate fads.