Auto Trader, the UK’s largest automotive marketplace, spoke to 2,000 adults about how often they visit their loved ones, how far they’re willing to travel and the occasions they’re most likely to travel for.
The study revealed that on average, Brits are travelling to visit their loved ones 11 times per month. Partners receive the most frequent visits, at an average of 20 times per month, followed by children (16 times per month) and parents (11 times per month). Meanwhile, siblings and other family members are being visited the least, at just seven and four times per month respectively.
When it comes to how far we’ll travel to visit our loved ones, respondents said they would go the furthest to visit their children, being happy to travel 97 miles each way. Brits are willing to travel 86 miles to visit their grandparents and 83 miles for their partners. At the other end of the scale, respondents were only willing to travel up to 53 miles to see their friends.
Women are willing to travel further than men, saying they’d travel up to 83 miles to visit their loved ones, compared to just 78 miles for men. This was also true for younger people, with 16-34 year olds willing to travel 84 miles, compared to 78 miles for those aged 55 and over.
When asked why they travel to visit their loved ones, over three-quarters (78%) said seeing them in person feels more meaningful than virtual communication. The study also revealed that women value in-person communication more than men, with eight out of 10(82%) saying it's more meaningful, compared to just three-quarters (75%) of men. This also increases as we get older, with just two thirds (68%) of Gen Z saying in-person communication is more meaningful, rising to 85% in those aged 55+.
However, despite the importance of in-person communication, two-thirds (67%) of Brits say travel time and distance play a big role in deciding how often we visit our loved ones, and a further 65% say they find it easier to keep in touch with local friends and family.
Over half (55%) of those surveyed said travel responsibilities are unevenly split, with them doing the majority, and 53% said they feel they make more of an effort than their loved ones. Interestingly, seven out of 10 (70%) also said they’re more likely to travel to someone who they feel has made an effort to see them.
When it comes to travelling to see loved ones, two-thirds (66%) of those surveyed said they prefer to drive over taking public transport, while 65% said they’re more willing to spend a long time travelling for a special occasion than for a general catch-up.
When asked what occasions they’d be most willing to travel for, weddings and Christmas came out on top, with 60% and 56% saying they’d happily travel an hour or more each way for these. On the other hand, Brits are least likely to travel long distances for Valentine’s Day, with less than one in five (17%) saying they’d spend more than an hour travelling for this. Finally, the study found that men are more willing to travel to celebrate Valentine's Day (18% vs 16%), whereas women are more likely to travel for an anniversary (34% vs 32%).
Despite advancements in technology making it easier than ever to stay in touch, it’s nice to see that we still value in-person communication and are willing to travel to visit our loved ones. Our research shows that this desire for connection is particularly strong for key relationships like those with our parents, children and partners, with Brits willing to go the extra mile to see them.
"For those who spend a long time travelling to visit a loved one, leasing can give individuals the flexibility to get the right car to suit their needs. Choosing a car with improved fuel efficiency can help keep costs down, while ensuring your leasing agreement has a sufficient mileage allowance which means you’ll avoid any surprise charges. Many of these cars also feature the latest technology, like navigation and entertainment systems which can make the journeys for drivers as smooth and stress-free as possible."
For more information about the benefits of car leasing and to explore the latest deals, visit https://www.autotrader.co.uk/cars/leasing
Notes to Editor
Survey carried out by Censuswide, with data collected between 28th March and 1st April 2025. Survey respondents were made up of 2,001 UK adults, aged 16 and over.
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