How Millennials, Gen Z Book Vacations Sparks Debate-'Too Much Can Go Wrong'

Planning a vacation is certainly exciting, but a new TikTok trend has got social media debating (surprise, surprise), and rather than discussing where they're going for their next trip, people are more interested in finding out how they booked it.

According to the trend, Millennials (born between 1981-1996) make large purchases, such as a vacation, on their laptop because the idea of doing it on their cell is far too dangerous. Comparatively, Generation Z (born between 1997-2012) is more fearless and they're perfectly happy booking a vacation on a small screen.

The thought of using a cell phone for more than casually scrolling through Instagram and making a $5 Amazon purchase is alien to many Millennials, including 30-year-old Sophie Blank from London. Blank told Newsweek that anything that can be done on her phone is a small internet task, but that stops "when the risk of making a mistake becomes too costly."

'Too Much Can Go Wrong'

Like many others, Blank took to TikTok (@sophieblnkk) to share how she has to use her laptop for flights and hotels, and it got plenty of people talking. The video of her "toxic millennial trait" has gained more than 425,600 views and 46,000 likes since it was posted on April 7.

"Anything that requires a laptop is what I would consider the big internet," Blank said. "To me, that includes booking flights, hotels, theater tickets, or buying expensive items. I'm really suspicious of making bigger purchases on my phone.

"I'd definitely book a trip on my laptop for full visibility of Skyscanner, an overview of all the hotel options, and the ability to switch between tabs. Booking it on your phone is the epitome of living life on the edge to me, too much can go wrong."

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While Blank would never risk trying to book a trip on her phone, the same can't be said for her boyfriend who got caught in the trap, and let's just say, it didn't go to plan. He booked flights from London to Italy using his iPhone, but later discover they were for the wrong weekend—if only he'd used his laptop instead.

The online response has been incredible to see, as many people from across the generations have reached out to share their thoughts with Blank. She added that it's just "mind-blowing" that Gen Z would plan a whole vacation on their tiny phone screens, but they aren't alone, as she also heard from Boomers who managed the same extraordinary feat.

'They Trust the Process'

Fellow millennial Ellie Howell, 28, agrees that paying for something like a trip warrants a much larger device as it "feels more trustworthy and professional." She would happily browse for the trip using her cell, but she told Newsweek that when she's ready to book, she'd have to "move to the big internet" to finalize everything.

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But why is it that Gen Z have no qualms with making such large purchases on their phone? Howell, from Wiltshire, UK, believes it's because they've grown up as the cell phone generation, whereas their older counterparts are still a bit fearful of the tiny devices.

"Gen Z have had internet on their phones pretty much their whole life, so they seem to be more comfortable with it. But the older a person is, the more foreign it is to use the small internet, and it's seen as untrustworthy," Howell said.

"They're such a confident generation, it's crazy to me. They obviously trust the process more, whereas older people need a bit of space on a screen to review everything before booking."

But it's not just Millennials who are taking to social media to shed light on the debate, because in a now deleted Reddit post, one Gen Zer asked, "Millennials, is this true?" that they have to dust off their laptop for certain tasks. The post gained more than 40,000 votes and 4,300 comments from divided Redditors in just a matter of days.

'The Evolution of Today's Digital Landscape'

The generational divide is nothing new, but while many love to judge Gen Z for doing things differently, social media expert Mark Weinstein says it's because they were "born into a world where smartphones were ubiquitous."

Weinstein, the author of Restoring Our Sanity Online, told Newsweek that Millennials grew up in an era of flip phones, which weren't capable of more than making calls and sending texts. Anything important was done using a computer, and he says "that habit is hardwired" to this day because they "trust their laptops" more.

"Millennials remain more comfortable with keyboards and larger screens for important tasks, such as work, banking, and travel. They use their smartphones for social apps, texting, ordering food, and so on," he continued.

"Gen Z are happier using phones for everything, while Millennials prefer laptops for big tasks that require extra prudence. Looking ahead, Gen Alpha will integrate AI seamlessly into all areas of their lives. That's the evolution of today's digital landscape."

Only time will tell what happens next, but perhaps one day laptops will cease to exist. Millennials will no doubt be quaking with fear at the prospect, but everything from planning a vacation to buying a house might only be done on cell phones.

Not just yet, however, as Blank encourages people to respect the needs of big internet, as she shared her words of caution: "Always use your laptop, people."

If you have a dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.