US flight searches plummet in wake of Trump victory

The US presidential election has sent UK flight searches to America plummeting, new data reveals. Cheapflights has seen travel searches for US flights fall by almost half since campaigning began. Managing director Andrew Shelton, speaking as polls opened today to elect either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump as president, said: “We might have assumed that … Continue reading US flight searches plummet in wake of Trump victory

The US presidential election has sent UK flight searches to America plummeting, new data reveals.

Cheapflights has seen travel searches for US flights fall by almost half since campaigning began.

Managing director Andrew Shelton, speaking as polls opened today to elect either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump as president, said: “We might have assumed that no political situation would be as momentous to the UK traveller as this year’s Brexit vote.

“However, Brits are ‘voting with their clicks’ when it comes to the US election as well.

“Although it remains one of our most popular destinations, we’ve seen travel searches for US flights fall by nearly half since official campaigning began.

“Between the start of campaigning and the first week of the TV debates, our US flight searches dropped cumulatively, week on week, and that trend has continued with a marked steepening over the last week, in the run up to polling day.”

He added: “Certainly it’s possible to draw parallels with the current climate of uncertainty around travel which we saw prior to, and immediately following, the Brexit vote.”

“As with Brexit, it’s the uncertainty that tends to cause traveller reticence.

“However, as past experience proves, Brits are extremely resilient and, whilst demand for travel to the US may have stalled during the election campaigning period, we’re certain that, whatever the outcome, America’s popularity will ultimately endure.”