States With the Most and Least Irritable Travelers [2025 Data Study]

From surprise baggage fees to seatmates who remove their socks midflight, flying isn’t always smooth sailing. For some travelers, minor inconveniences are just part of the journey — for others, they’re enough to ruin the thrill of the trip entirely. 

To uncover where the most irritable travelers live, we surveyed over 2,000 Americans about their biggest travel pet peeves and the behaviors they’ve admitted to when feeling frustrated in transit. The results highlight which states are remaining calm and which ones are more likely to lose it at 30,000 feet.

Where Are America’s Most Irritable Travelers? 

Travel can bring out the best — and worst — in people. To determine which states have the most easily irritated air travelers, we analyzed responses from over 2,000 Americans, focusing on a range of emotional reactions and observable behaviors associated with flight stress. Each participant rated their level of irritation across 11 common air travel scenarios on a scale of 1 to 5 — including delayed flights, noisy children, and passengers hogging overhead bin space.

But we didn’t stop there. We also asked how travelers act when pushed past their breaking point. Do they post complaints while still en route? Ask strangers to lower their voices? Switch seats or confront other passengers? The combination of self-reported irritability levels and these real-life behavioral indicators allowed us to generate a composite irritability score for each state, ranking them from most to least cranky.

Top 5 Most Irritable States

1. Texas 79.4 (out of 100)
2. Florida 73.4
3. New York 66.7
4. California 64.7
5. Illinois 57.8

In Texas, travelers start to get annoyed just 40 minutes into a delay — tied for the shortest patience window in the country. A full 33% have asked strangers to change their behavior midjourney, and on average, they’d pay $207 to avoid being seated near children on a flight.

Florida travelers are similarly short-tempered. More than 1 in 4 say they’ve verbally complained to staff (26%), and 56% would pay for a child-free zone — with an average willingness to spend $235. They also rate themselves a 3 out of 5 when it comes to the likelihood of confronting another passenger during a trip.

New York stands out for the sheer volume of annoyances. New Yorkers rated their average irritation across all 11 scenarios a solid 4 out of 5. Top triggers include flight delays (4.5) and personal space violations (4.33). Nearly 60% would shell out extra to avoid kids, and 13% say they’ve switched seats to steer clear of irritating travelers.

In California, 26% have asked a stranger to change their behavior, and 16% have gotten into arguments with fellow travelers or airline staff. Californians would spend an average of $157 for a kid-free cabin.

Illinois rounds out the top 5. Nearly half (46%) would pay for a child-free experience, and they’re ready to spend more than anyone else — $378 on average. Thirteen percent have switched seats to avoid someone, and their most loathed travel expense? Surprise fees, with an average irritation score of 4.5 out of 5. 

Top 5 Least Irritable States

1. Iowa 13.1
2. Kansas 17.2
3. Minnesota 17.3
4. Nebraska 19.7
5. New Hampshire 21.9

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Iowa travelers appear unflappable. None of the respondents reported yelling or posting complaints during a trip. Their annoyance ratings for most travel mishaps — including crying babies and surprise fees — stayed in the low 3s (out of a possible score of 5). They’re also the least willing to pay for a child-free cabin, with an average of just $42.

Kansas is another chill state. With a self-rated irritability score of just 1.94 out of 5, only 2% say they’ve ever switched seats to avoid someone, and none have posted travel rants midjourney.

Minnesota travelers are patient flyers. They tolerate 72 minutes of delay before irritation kicks in — the longest of any state. Their annoyance levels for things like shoeless seatmates (2.84 out of 5) and inflight clapping (1.88 out of 5) were also among the lowest. Minnesotans scored themselves just 2 out of 5 on confrontation likelihood, indicating a strong aversion to midair drama.

In Nebraska, residents reported the lowest self-rated irritability in the country at just 1.81 out of 5. None of the participants from this state said they’d ever switched seats or complained to staff. They also tolerate common pet peeves, such as people jumping up after landing (2.5 out of 5) or hogging the overhead bin (3 out of 5), with minimal annoyance.

New Hampshire travelers are similarly composed. Zero respondents reported yelling or posting negative reviews while traveling, and they scored just 2.16 out of 5 on the confrontation scale. However, they value their space, giving a 4.4 rating to overly close seatmates, one of the highest irritation scores in that category nationwide.

What’s Really Grinding the Gears of American Travelers

When it comes to the most frustrating aspects of flying, 1 irritant clearly rises above the rest: surprise fees. Whether it’s an unexpected baggage charge or seat selection cost, travelers rated these expenses a 4.31 out of 5 in terms of annoyance. 

Flight delays or cancellations weren’t far behind, with an average rating of 4.25, closely followed by seatmates who invade personal space, which earned a 4.08. Other top frustrations include passengers reclining into your area (3.82), long security or boarding lines (3.71), and travelers who remove their shoes or socks during the flight (3.64). At the lower end of the irritation scale were passengers who clap when the plane lands. Although still frowned upon, this behavior earned a relatively mild 2.12 out of 5.

Beyond these specific irritants, broader traveler preferences shed even more light on what sets flyers off. A significant 41% of respondents said they would pay extra for a designated quiet or kid-free zone, and more than one-third (37%) indicated they’d spend $50 or more for such a perk. On average, it takes just 47 minutes of delay before the typical traveler begins to feel irritated, highlighting the relatively short fuse many Americans have when their travel plans hit a snag.

Work travelers, in particular, stood out for their shorter patience and a greater likelihood of acting out. Those flying for business were nearly 4 times more likely than leisure travelers to ask strangers to modify their behavior (29% vs. 7%) and to lodge complaints with staff while en route (20% vs. 6%). They were also more vocal in general, with an average score of 3.05 out of 5 for their likelihood to confront someone midtrip — over 30% higher than those flying for pleasure, who averaged just 2.35. Perhaps most strikingly, nearly 15% of work travelers admitted to having had an aggressive confrontation while flying, compared to under 5% of those traveling for vacation. 

Methodology

To find the states with the most and least irritable travelers, we conducted an online survey of 2,027 U.S. air travelers across 41 states between June 3 and June 17, 2025. New Mexico, Rhode Island, Alaska, the District of Columbia, South Dakota, Vermont, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming were excluded from the final rankings because they returned insufficient response counts.

For the state ranking portion of our study, we evaluated states across 21 behavioral and attitudinal metrics reflecting travel-related irritability. Questions measured respondents’ average annoyance toward 11 common travel scenarios on a 1-to-5 scale, along with self-reported behaviors such as switching seats, confronting other passengers, complaining to staff, and tolerance for delays. We also asked how much they’d be willing to pay for a child-free cabin. All responses were averaged and indexed into a final irritability score out of 100 for each state, with higher scores indicating a greater tendency toward irritable behavior while flying.

Final Thoughts

Whether it’s surprise fees, noisy seatmates, or the sheer chaos of boarding, irritations during air travel are nearly universal — but how we react to them varies widely depending on where we’re from. This study highlights the stark contrast between states where travelers tend to keep their cool and those where frustrations boil over quickly. 

By understanding which behaviors and circumstances spark the most irritation, travelers can better prepare for their journeys and maybe even avoid a confrontation or 2. These insights also help inform airlines, travel planners, and hospitality pros about the growing demand for comfort, space, and serenity in transit. After all, a more pleasant journey benefits everyone on board.