Want a life-changing experience? Here's where to go
Celebrating a big birthday or planning to escape the rat race and start over? These are the best places to do it, as voted for by you
13/08/2024Updated 20/02/2025
Travel is always important (says the travel magazine, no less), but some trips really can change your life. The right destination can set the scene for a forever-memorable occasion – you could find the one, be transformed or have your horizons infinitely broadened. To celebrate travel’s capacity for transformation, we asked 450 British Airways customers to share the destinations they’d choose to experience life’s biggest moments. From celebrating a milestone birthday to falling in love, the results paint a fascinating picture of the world and highlight the destinations most popular for life-changing experiences. Here are the results.
Planning a big birthday?
British Airways’ frequent flyers love New York – the most popular destination for all life events, especially a big birthday, for which 30 per cent of respondents ranked it first or second.
Want to meet the love of your life?
Paris and Rome are ranked the joint second most likely place to meet the love of your life (22 per cent), after New York (24 per cent). However, Barcelona has the highest average rank with those aged 25 and under (7.9 per cent).
Looking to be awed?
New York and Rome are the top places to experience ‘a moment of wonder’ (at 24 per cent and 23 per cent respectively).
Ready for a gap year?
Twenty per cent put San Francisco first or second as the best place for a gap year (23 per cent named New York). But when breaking this down to those aged 16-25, Berlin comes out top, followed closely by Toronto.
How about starting a new life?
Barcelona and Toronto had the largest average rank after New York for the ideal locations to start a new life in.
Ready to change your life? Discover more about the life-changing destinations that came out on top of our survey
It's a wonderful town
New York: so good they named it twice
With its straight-from-the-screen sights, world-class restaurants and gloriously gritty energy, New York came out top in every category as the city most likely to change your life. A good job British Airways flies there every day, then. Of the respondents, 30 per cent said the Big Apple was the ultimate place to celebrate a big birthday, whether you want to mark it with a helicopter ride over the Manhattan skyline or a glass of fizz overlooking Fifth Avenue from your spot in the Champagne Bar at The Plaza Hotel. The survey showed that the city’s breakneck pace, lively multicultural neighbourhoods and bucket list attractions provide the ultimate inspiration to have a big idea, fall in love or even start an entirely new life altogether.
A Ferris wheel sits at the entrance of the Tuileries Gardens; view from the Orange Garden on Aventine Hill, Rome
Paris and Rome: Europe’s cities of romance
Nowhere does romance quite like Europe’s historic capital cities, so it’s no surprise that Paris and Rome were hot on New York’s heels as the places to visit for those hoping to meet – or who have met – the love of their life. Woo wannabe partners à Paris with an evening stroll along the Seine to see the lights of the Eiffel Tower sparkle at the start of every hour after sunset. Or try a DIY Champagne picnic amongst the flowers at Tuileries Gardens. In Rome, look out over the city from the Aventine Hill or share artisan ice cream at Il Gelato di San Crispino, close to the Trevi fountain – the perfect place to make a wish.
Messing about in boats in Rouge National Urban Park, Toronto
Toronto: start over in Canada’s cultural capital
Closely following its US lookalike, Toronto’s lakeside location, booming arts scene and walkable neighbourhoods made it respondents’ preferred place to take a gap year, or even move to for good. Particularly popular with those between the ages of 44 and 59, the city’s outdoorsy lifestyle is a big draw, with the hiking trails of Rouge National Urban Park and the car-free Toronto Islands both nearby. Compact, distinctive districts make it easy to feel at home: try The Beaches for oceanfront parks, local bistros and low-rise apartments, or Queen West for galleries, WFH-friendly coffee shops and independent boutiques.
Tapas done right in Barcelona; volleyball on the city’s Bogatell beach
Barcelona: young love in Catalonia
Mediterranean sunshine, golden beaches and excellent nightlife mean Barcelona was voted the most popular place to find love for those between the ages of 16 and 25. We can see why. You can mingle here with the locals at the top-value tapas bars spilling onto the street at Carrer de Blai, then head to Esquerra de l’Eixample for hip cocktail bars such as Ideal, Solange and World’s 50 Best Bars favourite, Sips. By day, the beautiful people flock to Bogatell beach for volleyball, waterfront seafood restaurants and people watching.
The Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
San Francisco: dream big on West Coast USA
Famous for their billion-dollar tech companies and world-conquering creative industries, LA and San Francisco inspire serious California dreaming. After New York, they’re the cities you voted most likely to stir a big idea, while 22 per cent of Millennials also fancied starting a new life in San Fran. Get thinking while taking in the views of the Golden Gate Bridge from Hawk Hill or hike up Canyon Drive to the Hollywood sign to gaze out over a city where almost anything seems possible.
THE METHODOLOGY
In July 2024, we used research platform OnePulse to survey 450 British Airways flyers for their views on ‘life-changing’ destinations. They were asked to rank destinations from top (1) to bottom (12) choice for each event/scenario.
