Why members of The British Airways Club want to time travel

You’ve ticked off the bucket-list cities, mastered the art of the luxe long weekend and could recite the lounge menu in your sleep. So, what’s next? Apparently, it’s time travel. According to our latest survey, the latest trend among The British Airways Club members isn’t about discovering somewhere new – it’s about rediscovering somewhere old.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of you told us you were open to the idea of a nostalgication, with more than a third (36%) actively planning one in the next three years. That’s because sometimes the best way to move forward is to take a step back – to the places that made you fall in love with travel in the first place.

The feelgood factor

This isn’t just about reliving the glory days of inflatable armbands and mini golf. It’s about happiness – real, grownup, serotonin-boosting joy. More than half (54%) of Club members believe a nostalgic holiday would make them feel happier and 45% say it’s helped them better appreciate their past.

Among those actively interested, the emotional pull is strong: 75% say revisiting a childhood destination would help them relive happy memories and 53% are keen to return to favourite spots in the same area. It’s not just a trip – it’s a reconnection.

“Nostalgia, which is triggered by a memory, or smells, sounds and tastes, is a social emotion, and holidays are a great example of that,” says Agnes Arnold-Forster, historian, health researcher and author of Nostalgia: A History of a Dangerous Emotion. 

“Scientists think nostalgia evolved to make us better, so we could forge closer connections with others,” says Arnold-Forster. “Having children is partly about reliving childhood experiences through their eyes.” It makes sense, then, that many travellers are taking their kids to the destinations from their youth.”

Your inner child travels for free

Those planning a nostalgication are nearly twice as likely to say it helps them reconnect with their inner child (52% vs 27%). And the benefits don’t stop there:

• 82% say it brought them happiness
• 71% say it deepened their appreciation of the past
• 51% say it helped relieve the stress of everyday life.

So, yes, it turns out that revisiting that seaside town or mountain lodge might be just what your overworked brain needs.

What’s changed – and what hasn’t?

For many Club members, the biggest draw is curiosity. Nearly half (49%) say you want to see what’s changed since your last visit, while 42% are hoping it’s stayed just the same. Either way, it’s a win: a fresh perspective on a familiar place.

And the golden era of holidays? The 2000s take the crown, with 32% of Club members naming it the best decade for travel memories. (And you probably still have the photos on your digital camera to show for it.)

“Right now, people have the sense they’re living through a time of uncertainty,” says Arnold-Forster. “There’s lots going on in the world that is causing stress. Nostalgia can lessen feelings of anxiety and depression and make people feel less lonely. It can be therapeutic.”
So, what are you waiting for? Whether it’s a return to the beach with the best rock pools, or the city where you had your first gelato, a nostalgication might just be your most meaningful trip yet. 

Rediscover somewhere special with British Airways

Notes: Our nostalgications survey collected responses from 1,127 members of The British Airways Club during May 2025. Those actively interested = 408 (who answer 4 or 5 on Q2: 4-5 on a scale of 1-5, how interested are you in revisiting a childhood holiday destination in the next three years? (1 = not interested and 5 = being very interested)