Five ways this tech-savvy generation is making the most of travel.

Dare I say it: It’s good to be a Millennial while traveling. Having grown up in the digital age, they’re free of the hang-ups that hindered past generations of travelers. They don’t think twice about booking a flight online or spending the night in a stranger’s apartment—and with that comes the freedom of choice. Now that the Millennial population (anyone born between 1980 and 2000) in America exceeds 83 million—even outnumbering Baby Boomers—the travel industry is flinging itself at them with upgraded technology, “meaningful” experiences, and easier ways to book.

Thing is, there’s a single truth about the Millennial market: No one itinerary fits all. They’re extremely curious about the world, and intent on exploring it on their own terms. They take risks—educated risks. They seek comfort in new ways. To put it more candidly, Millennials are traveling better than you. Here’s how.

Millennials Have Their Choice of Hotels

A surge of new brands from big hotel companies like Marriott’s Moxy Hotels, Canopy by Hilton Hotels, and Hyatt Centric Hotels tempts Millennial travelers with free and fast Wi-Fi, in-room charging stations, stylish design and art, and plenty of community space to hang out. Even W Hotels, which pioneered the mass roll-out of design-led boutique hotels, is making a play for younger travelers by letting guest smartphones work as room keys and offering up resident “W Insiders” to give guests a local’s perspective. Smaller hotel collections are also doing the Millennial mating dance. The formula’s the same—Wi-Fi (they love Wi-Fi), indie-cool design, and social spaces—but the options are more plentiful than ever.

That Is, If Millennials Decide to Stay in a Hotel

The rise of the sharing economy coincided with this generation’s coming of age, and Airbnb is its standard-bearer. Although a recent Skift survey revealed that Millennials still prefer hotels, they are more open to alternative, and more authentic, accommodations than previous generations (especially if it means saving money). Millennials have even turned their parents on to how Airbnb works. Airbnb’s success has led to a fresh crop of other home-sharing services, including One Fine Stay and Love Home Swap on the higher end and Kid & Coe for the family-friendly. Of course, the age-old “friend’s couch” option is still cool with Millennials, too—it even affected hotel bookings at Sundance Film Festival last year. You can thank them for that.

Millennials Are More Comfortable During The Flight

Most Millennials can’t remember a time when meals, movies, and checked luggage were included in the price of an airplane ticket, which might explain why they’re okay with paying for all these and more. According to a survey conducted by FlightView, 60 percent of Millennial travelers said they’re willing to pay in-flight premiums for perks like Wi-Fi, seats with charging outlets, and first-off-the-plane privileges. To be fair, about 50 percent of older travelers also said they’d pay for premiums—which means airlines will probably keep putting a price on comfort. Sigh.

Millennials Are Never at a Loss for What to Do

Reliable suggestions for what to do in certain cities have always been shared through word of mouth or guide books, or, a long time ago — like in the 1980s — with handwritten letters. Today, Millennials can ask a question on social media and receive real-time recommendations. Looking for a restaurant in Paris? Put it on Facebook and you may hear back in minutes—enough time to make a reservation, maybe even find out that a friend now lives in Paris and wants to join for dinner. Similarly, these kings and queens of crowdsourcing can scroll through Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Foursquare, and Snapchat stories to browse for more travel inspiration. Then, they end up posting from their own journey back onto social media, continuing the circle of sharing.

“Looking for a restaurant in Paris? Put it on Facebook and you may hear back in minutes.”

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Millennials Have a Virtual Backpack of Apps to Guide Them

Aside from deftly using social media to plan their trips, Millennials have a nearly endless supply of smartphone apps at their disposal while exploring—everything from language translation apps to maps, meet-ups/hook-ups, ride-sharing, bicycle-renting, photo-enhancing, and of course, travel booking. However, none of these apps are useful when the smartphone is out of juice, hence the proliferation of portable chargers. While apps make traveling more efficient, Millennials are just as comfortable getting directions the old-school way…by asking a human. And then posing with them for a selfie.

#Blessed.

Originally posted on Condé Nast Traveler