JetBlue’s AirSMR Taps ASMR To Relieve Holiday Travel Stress

Going to the airport can be one of the more stressful experiences in life, especially during the holidays. Waiting in line for hours, feeling cramped in large crowds, and carrying too much luggage are all reasons the majority of Americans hate flying.

While it seems like this experience would be a terrible thing to relive for pleasure, JetBlue has found a way to make it relaxing with a new ASMR video.

The video, uploaded on JetBlue’s YouTube channel, is nine minutes long and takes the listener on a journey through the airport. It begins with a woman’s voice, as she narrates the perfect travel scenario. No lines, no stress, and you arrive at your gate early with enough time to relax, grab a snack, or watch some TV. The background noises of the airport consist of calm white noise, gentle typing, suitcases rolling on the ground, crinkling bags of chips, and soda being poured.

“AirSMR was inspired by the realities of air travel during the holidays,” Elizabeth Windram, vice president of marketing at JetBlue, tells mbg. “JetBlue wanted to create a piece of content that could help alleviate holiday travel stress in an unexpected way. We loved the juxtaposition of taking what is often associated with one of the most hectic places during the holidays—the airport—and reimagining it to create a calming experience for travelers to enjoy.”

The video was created in collaboration with Craig Richard, Ph.D., a researcher of autonomous sensory meridian response, founder of ASMR University, and author of Brain Tingles, a user-friendly guide to ASMR. Previously, Richard acted as a consultant for the 2019 Super Bowl commercial for Michelob Ultra, which was the first ASMR-related commercial to air during the game.  

Traveling this time of year is tough, and we’re all looking for simple ways to de-stress after spending time with family, overeating, and spending too much money. Still feeling overwhelmed? Try these five steps to keep the stress at bay from a psychiatrist.