What infuriates travellers the most

From flyers who recline their seats immediately after take-off to people who cough and sneeze without using a tissue, there are many travel habits that are infuriating. 

Now a new survey, commissioned by travel eSIM company Saily, has revealed the travel habits that are most annoying. 

Coughing or sneezing without covering up and leaving litter on the beach annoy Australians the most (52% of travellers find these annoying).

Then there are loud talkers in public places, and people who fly barefooted. 

Two offences tied for first place: coughing or sneezing without covering up and leaving litter on the beach: both hated by 52% of travellers across the country. Over‑reclined seats took third place (50%).

Noise dominates the rest of the list: loud arguments (47%), talking too loudly on a train, bus or plane (46%), speakerphone calls (43%) and music or videos without headphones (42%). 

Rounding out the top 10 were idle chatter in quiet spaces (42%), smelly snacks (40%) and playing loud music in public spaces (39%).

Classic holiday irritations - like guests reserving pool chairs for hours or showing up late for excursions - didn’t make the top 10. 

But many travellers admit their own sins. 

No fewer than 25% confessed to standing up the moment the plane lands, and one in four (24%) admitted to peeing in the sea, or a lake. 

“We wanted to take an honest look at travel habits,” says Vykintas Maknickas, CEO of Saily, the company that commissioned the survey. 

“The holiday season is one of the busiest times to travel, and with so many people in motion at once, it’s the perfect moment to see what really annoys us on the road – and how often we’re the ones doing it.”

A total of 57% of travellers said they’ve asked someone to stop doing something irritating, suggesting that even though many admit to their own bad habits, they’re still willing to speak up when others cross the line.

Maknickas notes that there are ways that can help smooth out traveling experience. “Nobody wants to start their trip by becoming somebody else’s travel horror story. Being mindful, putting in a little preparation and packing some technology items can help.”

The survey was conducted by the external companies Cint and Norstat on November 17–December 2, 2025. The survey’s target group were residents of the US, the UK, Australia, France, Germany, Spain and Japan aged 18-74. 

For more info see https://saily.com/blog/annoying-tourist-behaviors/

Image: Tiago Gomes, Scop.io