Vueling reveals Britain’s biggest travel turn-offs | News
For many couples, a summer holiday is the ultimate relationship milestone. But millions of Brits are about to find out something new about their partner, whether they like it or not. New research by Barcelona-based airline Vueling has revealed the nation’s most-hated holiday habits, and the findings might make for uncomfortable reading.
The survey of over 2,000 UK adults found that four in ten Brits (43%) have clocked genuine ‘icks’ about a partner on their first holiday together.
Topping the list: clapping when the plane lands (27%), photographing every meal for Instagram (25%), and walking ten feet ahead like their partner is a side quest character (24%). Nearly one in five (17%) say finding a jar of Marmite in someone’s luggage would genuinely put them off, while 16% draw the line at getting up early to reserve a sun lounger with a towel.
The stakes are high: 89% think a first holiday together can make or break a romance, and over a quarter (27%) admit they’ve gone away with a partner too soon, with almost a third (29%) saying it didn’t go to plan.
And the youngest among us are especially ruthless: Gen Z are the most ick-prone generation by far when on holiday. Almost two-thirds (61%) have noticed icks on a first holiday, compared with 43% of the general population. Even more brutally, one in ten (10%) Gen Zs admit they’ve actually ended a relationship mid-holiday due to getting the ick.
Travelling together: a true test of love
But it’s not all bad news. For those who make it through ick-free, the rewards speak for themselves: nearly half (49%) of Brits say they realised their partner was the love of their life on holiday, and 61% say their current partner is their ideal travel companion. For Gen Z specifically, the romantic upside is even bigger: 63% say a holiday was the moment they knew their partner was the one.
To combat the risk of icks, arguments, and even the dreaded mid-holiday breakup, Vueling has teamed up with love and relationship coach, Lorin Krenn, on some top tips for a harmonious holiday with a partner:
Talk about expectations before you travel.
Most couples assume they want the same holiday because they want to be together. Wanting to be together and wanting the same experience are two very different things. One of you might be craving complete stillness, and the other is already researching day trips. That gap does not resolve itself once you land. Have the conversation at home, before the bags are packed. What does each of you actually need from this trip? Rest, adventure, connection, space? When couples know the answer going in, they stop spending the first two days silently negotiating what kind of holiday they are having.
You do not have to spend every minute together.
There is a version of couplehood that treats constant togetherness as the measure of closeness. Holidays can amplify that pressure enormously. The healthiest couples I work with understand that space is part of what keeps attraction alive. A morning walk alone, an hour reading by the pool, a solo wander through a market street. These are what make the moments you do share feel genuinely chosen. Independence on holiday is a gift you give each other.
Be honest about your travel habits.
Holidays are one of the fastest ways to discover parts of your partner you have never seen before. The anxious early-morning packer. The person who needs two hours to feel human before breakfast. The one who cannot relax without knowing the plan for every day. Being upfront about how you travel, before you travel, is a form of care. It says: I want this to work for both of us. That honesty sets the whole trip up differently.
Expect a few bumps in the road.
A delayed flight or a missed booking will tell you more about your relationship than a dozen smooth holidays. Stress reveals patterns. The question worth asking is whether you can find the humour in a setback, problem-solve without making it personal, and come back to being a team. Couples who travel well together have usually learned to treat disruption as part of the adventure.
Focus on connection, not perfection.
The pressure to have the perfect holiday has never been greater, and social media has a lot to answer for. When couples are curating the trip, they are missing the trip. Some of the most bonding travel moments I have heard couples describe were the things that went sideways. The restaurant that was closed, the wrong turn that led somewhere unexpected, the evening plan that fell apart and became something better. Put the phone down. Let it be imperfect. Those are the moments that stay with you.
For those ready to put their relationship to the test, Vueling flies direct to eleven of Europe’s most romantic destinations, including Paris, Barcelona, and Florence, where you might just find out your partner is the one. Or, at the very least, that they don’t clap when the plane lands.
You can find the full list of Vueling’s summer destinations below:
Spain
Barcelona
Málaga
Alicante
Bilbao
Asturias (Oviedo)
Santiago
Seville
Valencia
A Coruña
Italy
Florence
France
Paris
