'Booking boost': Why you should ditch the retail therapy and book a plane ticket

If you're guilty of indulging in retail therapy whenever you've had a bad day, here's one way to get the same dopamine rush without turning to fast fashion.

According to a new survey by United Airlines, booking a plane ticket for your next holiday could be the key to lifting your mood.

In fact, United claim that 70 per cent of Americans say planning their next trip gives them an instant 'booking boost', with the majority saying experiences make them feel better than spending on material goods.

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"Planning a vacation can give you an unexpected happiness bump because experiences matter for our wellbeing more than we expect," said cognitive scientist and host of The Happiness Lab podcast, Dr Laurie Santos.

"When you book a vacation, you experience the reward of anticipating a positive experience."

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Tickets over trinkets

According to the research, the feeling of joy from a travel-related purchase is more than twice what you would get from buying clothing and jewellery, and four times as much as buying electronic goods.

"A vacation gives you a bigger and more lasting happiness bump because as humans, we are delighted by the novelty of the unknown," said Dr Santos.

"The thrill of a new handbag wears off quickly since you get used to them through a trick our mind does called 'hedonic adaptation', but travel brings new experiences each day that delight and engage us.

"And then we build on that through social connections by travelling with other people and talking about our trip with them later."

Feeling happy for longer

It's reported that not only do we get those feelings of joy when booking a flight, but 73 per cent of people love planning their itinerary.

The study also revealed that 80 per cent of people are just as happy sharing memories of their trip with loved ones, as actually going on the trip (82 per cent).

"The happiness boost we get from travel can last long after you book your ticket - from the moments you happily anticipate your getaway, to taking the fun trip itself, to the times you recall trip high points with friends once you get back home," adds Dr Laurie Santos.

The data also shows that 73 per cent of those surveyed say they feel happier booking a ticket to a new destination, rather than somewhere they'd already been.

We're taking this as our sign to book in our next holiday...