Survey: Americans hate flying as much as they hate waiting at the DMV

Survey: Americans hate flying as much as they hate waiting at the DMV
(Image credit: David McNew/Getty Images)

Which is worse: The hassle that comes with flying, or the interminable wait that's practically required at the DMV? According to a new survey, they're both roughly the same amount of terrible.

The CNBC survey found that 42 percent of respondents rated waiting at the DMV as worse than waiting at an airport, while 40 percent said spending time at a crowded airport is a worse experience than being stuck at the DMV.

Also, about 40 percent called air travel "bearable," while another 27 percent said it was "unenjoyable or awful."

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CNBC's results come on the heels of a recently released report from J.D. Power and Associates that indicated people are more satisfied with airlines than ever before. But, despite an uptick in profits, airlines aren't adding more seats on existing routes — which is making for a less-than-desirable summer travel season.

"No doubt the airline industry is doing a better job of pleasing passengers, but there still is a lot of room for improvement," said Rick Garlick, an official from J.D Power. "Satisfaction is improving, but it's a stretch to say passengers are truly happy." You can say that again.

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Jordan Valinsky is the lead writer for Speed Reads. Before joining The Week, he wrote for New York Observer's tech blog, Betabeat, and tracked the intersection between popular culture and the internet for The Daily Dot. He graduated with a degree in online journalism from Ohio University.