Best-loved travel scenes from famous Christmas movies revealed
THERE are plenty of iconic travel moments in Christmas movies from the romantic airport chases to snowy train journeys.
But there’s one that trumps them all, and that’s Kate McCallister’s mission to get from Paris to Chicago in the Christmas classic, Home Alone.
Kate’s commitment to reuniting with her son, sees her boarding planes from the French capital to Dallas and Scranton before hitching a memorable ride home in a van.
And mum’s epic dash to rescue Kevin has been declared the most iconic travel moment in a festive movie, according to research by Skyscanner.
The Home Alone sequel landed in second place with a poll of 2,000 adults enjoying the scene where Kevin sprints through the airport before accidentally boarding a plane to New York, alone.
And who can forget Love Actually where Sam charges through departures to stop Joanna flying to the US? Well, that came in third spot.
Laura Lindsay, travel trends and destination expert for Skyscanner, which commissioned the research and has also created a map plotting some of these iconic routes, said: “What’s a Christmas film without a good airport scene?”
“Festive travel is a huge part of people’s lives during the holiday season, whether it’s travelling home to be reunited with family and friends or heading off for a festive break.”
Christmas movies are even inspiring travellers for their next break, with 23 per cent booking a trip to a destination after seeing it as a festive backdrop on the big screen.
The Big Apple, aka New York City, comes top of the list of destinations that people book after seeing it on TV.
This is quickly followed up by London and Paris.
Edinburgh and Vienna also ranked among the cities most associated with Christmas movies.
New York City also led the list of destinations people would feature in a festive flick if they were the writer and was the place they’d most like to spend the holiday season abroad.
Half of those who have seen a city in a movie claim the real-life sets look more appealing to visit when decked out for Christmas compared with other times of the year.
And 77 per cent said watching Christmas films helps them feel more festive, according to the OnePoll.com data.
Laura Lindsay, from Skyscanner, added: “It’s no surprise New York is the go-to destination when thinking about blockbusters set in December.”
She added that ‘set-jetting’ is becoming hugely popular with tourists wanting to ‘step into the settings and shoes of their beloved movie characters’.
For more on TV show, here are five filming locations in the UK you can visit with movie tours and quaint villages.
And here are five train journeys to make this Christmas to see filming locations from Love Actually to The Holiday.
Here are the top 10 most iconic travel moments in festive movies…
1. Home Alone
Kate McCallister’s journey back from Paris to Chicago, via other airports.
2. Home Alone 2
The dash through the airport where Kevin boards a flight to New York.
3. Love Actually
Sam runs through Heathrow airport to catch Joanna before she flies off.
4. Polar Express
The final journey dropping the kids home.
5. Elf
Buddy’s whimsical journey from the North Pole to Manhattan.
6. White Christmas
Nostalgic train ride to snowy Vermont.
7. The Holiday
Amanda travelling from LA to Surrey and Iris going the other way.
8. Die Hard 2
John McClane’s wife Holly finally touching down at Dulles Airport.
9. The Flight Before Christmas
The flight is diverted due to a sudden snowstorm.
10. A Castle for Christmas
Sophie’s journey from Edinburgh Airport to Dun Dunbar Castle.