Kevin’s mum Kate McCallister’s mission from Paris to Chicago sees her boarding planes from the French capital to Dallas and Scranton before hitching a memorable ride home in a van. A poll of 2,000 adults also placed the sequel in second spot, with Kevin’s frantic sprint through the airport before boarding a plane alone to New York. Love Actually and the scene where Sam charges through departures to stop Joanna flying to the US came in third. It also emerged that 57 per cent of festive film fans believed travel scenes play a big part in what makes a good Christmas movie. 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. So, it makes sense these moments are captured on the big screen to help us get into the Christmas spirit.” The research also found 63 per cent of those who see travel scenes as a key component in festive films think they add a sense of reunion and togetherness. Popular twists making them more exciting include festive miracles saving trips (32 per cent), strangers offering help (27 per cent) and snowstorms forcing overnight stops (25 per cent). With 22 per cent thinking a race-against-the-clock scene, where characters are dashing for flights or trains, only adds to the drama. As well as the thrill, festive flicks give viewers a sense of warmth (33 per cent) and nostalgia (29 per cent) through these travel moments. And 45 per cent find the thought of recreating a famous Christmas movie journey appealing, with 23 per cent even booking a trip to a destination after seeing it as a festive backdrop on the big screen. New York (48 per cent) topped the list of destinations synonymous with these films, followed by London (37 per cent) and Paris (21 per cent). With Edinburgh (18 per cent) and Vienna (14 per cent) also ranked among the cities most associated with Christmas movies. New York 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. With half of those who have seen a city in a movie claiming the real-life sets look more appealing to visit when decked out for Christmas compared to any other time of year. And 77 per cent said watching Christmas films help 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. There’s movie magic everywhere, especially at Christmas time. “Film and TV are big sources of travel inspiration for UK travellers with set-jetting becoming hugely popular as tourists aspire to step into the settings, and shoes, of their beloved movie characters.” 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
