Travel writing and communication is full of confusing word pairs — terms that sound similar, are used interchangeably in casual speech, but have distinct correct forms in standard American English. Is it a flyer or a flier? Are you en route or in route to your destination? Should you write toward or towards? What does faring mean when someone asks how you are faring on your trip? This guide settles every major travel word usage question with clear answers, examples, and the reasoning behind each rule.
For travel synonyms including words for traveling, walking, maneuvering, getaway meaning, and on their way, see our article on traveling synonym, walk synonym, getaway meaning, and travel vocabulary guide.
Flyer or Flier — Which Is Correct?
Both flyer and flier are correct English words, but they have different meanings and preferred usages depending on context. This is one of the most searched word confusion questions in travel and marketing writing.
| Word | Primary Meaning | Example |
| Flyer | A person who flies (traveler); also a printed promotional leaflet | She is a frequent flyer on Delta. / He handed out flyers for the event. |
| Flier | Also a person who flies; regional/variant spelling; less common for leaflet | He is an experienced flier. / Frequent flier miles (airline term). |
Flyer vs Flier — The Definitive Answer for American English
In American English, flyer is the dominant and preferred spelling in most contexts. The Associated Press Stylebook — the standard reference for US journalism and much professional writing — prefers flyer for both meanings: a person who flies AND a printed promotional document. The New York Times, major US publications, and most American style guides follow this preference.
However, there is an important exception: airline loyalty programs. Most major US airlines use frequent flier miles — not frequent flyer miles — in their official program names. United Airlines calls it MileagePlus, but the generic term in the industry is ‘frequent flier.’ This has caused lasting confusion because flier appears constantly in the travel context of airline miles, while flyer is preferred for the person themselves.
Quick Rule for Flyer or Flier
- Use flyer when writing about: a person who travels by air (‘She’s a nervous flyer’), a promotional leaflet or handout (‘Print 500 flyers for the event’), or when in doubt
- Use flier when writing about: airline loyalty program context (‘frequent flier miles’), or in British English where flier is more common for the person
- Both are acceptable in most contexts — choose one and be consistent within a document
Sentence Examples — Flyer and Flier in Use
- ‘As a frequent flyer, she always books the aisle seat.’ (person who flies — flyer preferred)
- ‘The airline credited her account with 2,500 frequent flier miles.’ (airline program — flier common)
- ‘We distributed flyers at the airport promoting the new vacation package.’ (printed leaflet — flyer)
- ‘The barnstormer was an experienced flier who had logged 10,000 hours.’ (historical/aviation — flier acceptable)
En Route vs In Route — Which Is Correct?
This is one of the most common travel writing errors. The correct phrase is en route — not in route. Here is everything you need to know:
| Phrase | Correct? | Notes |
| En route | ✅ Correct | Borrowed from French; standard in English; means ‘on the way’ |
| In route | ❌ Incorrect | Common misspelling; not standard in any major style guide |
| On route | ❌ Incorrect | Another common error; not standard English |
En Route — Meaning and Origin
En route is a French phrase meaning ‘on the road’ or ‘on the way.’ It entered English in the late 18th century and is now fully established as a standard English expression. It is used to describe someone or something that is traveling toward a destination and has not yet arrived.
En route is written as two words (not enroute) in standard American English. Some style guides permit enroute as one word in certain technical or military contexts, but the two-word form en route is preferred in general writing. The phrase is not italicized in modern English because it is fully assimilated — unlike newer French borrowings that still get italics.
Why People Write ‘In Route’ Instead of ‘En Route’
‘In route’ is a phonetic misspelling — when spoken quickly, ‘en route’ sounds like ‘in route’ to English ears because the French nasal vowel in ‘en’ is unfamiliar. The mistake is extremely common in casual writing, text messages, and social media. However, in professional, academic, and published writing, ‘in route’ is an error that spell-checkers often miss because ‘in’ and ‘route’ are both valid words.
En Route — Correct Usage Examples
- ‘The package is en route and should arrive tomorrow.’ ✅
- ‘We are en route to the airport — see you in an hour.’ ✅
- ‘The delegates stopped en route to the conference for lunch.’ ✅
- ‘We are in route to Chicago.’ ❌ (should be ‘en route’)
- ‘The shipment is on route.’ ❌ (should be ‘en route’)
Toward or Towards — Which Is Correct in American English?
Both toward and towards are correct English words with identical meanings. The distinction is purely regional:
| Form | Standard In | Example |
| Toward | American English | She walked toward the gate. |
| Towards | British English | He drove towards the terminal. |
Toward vs Towards — The Simple Rule
If you are writing for a US audience, use toward. If you are writing for a British audience, use towards. Both are completely correct — this is not a right/wrong situation but a regional preference, similar to the difference between traveled (US) and travelled (UK), or color (US) and colour (UK).
The AP Stylebook recommends toward (no S) for American English. Most major US publications follow this. However, towards is widely understood and used even in the US — it appears in American speech and informal writing frequently. The rule matters most in formal, professional, or published writing where consistency with a style guide is expected.
Additional -ward/-wards Pairs That Follow the Same Rule
- Afterward (US) / Afterwards (UK)
- Forward (US) / Forwards (UK — though ‘forward’ is also common in UK)
- Backward (US) / Backwards (UK)
- Upward (US) / Upwards (UK)
- Downward (US) / Downwards (UK)
In all cases, the -s ending is the British preference and the form without -s is the American preference. Neither form is incorrect — choose based on your audience and be consistent.
Meaning of Faring — What Does Faring Mean?
Faring is the present participle of the verb to fare, meaning to experience a particular state of being or to get along in a specified way. It is most commonly used in questions and statements about how someone or something is doing.
Faring — Definition and Usage
| Context | Example |
| Asking about wellbeing | ‘How are you faring on the long flight?’ = How are you doing/coping? |
| Travel performance | ‘How is the airline faring after the storm?’ = How is it managing/performing? |
| Outcome / result | ‘She fared well in the competition.’ = She did well; she managed successfully. |
| Formal inquiry | ‘How did they fare on the crossing?’ = What was their experience/result? |
Faring vs Fairing — Easily Confused
Faring (from ‘to fare’) means doing or experiencing. Fairing is a different word entirely — a fairing is a structural component added to a vehicle or aircraft to reduce drag, or it can refer to a vendor’s booth at a fair. These are completely unrelated words. ‘How are you fairing?’ is a very common error — the correct phrase is ‘How are you faring?’ The confusion arises because fairing looks like it could relate to ‘being fair’ or ‘going to the fair.’
Faring Examples in Travel Context
- ‘How are you faring with all this turbulence?’ (= How are you coping/managing?)
- ‘The new airline is faring well in the budget market.’ (= performing/doing)
- ‘Travelers fared poorly when the storm hit.’ (= experienced bad outcomes)
- ‘How did you fare on the road trip?’ (= How did it go? What was your experience?)
Common Travel Word Confusions — Quick Reference
| Confusion | Correct Form | Notes |
| En route vs in route | En route | ‘In route’ is always wrong; ‘en route’ is correct |
| Flyer vs flier | Flyer (general) | ‘Flier’ preferred only for frequent flier miles |
| Toward vs towards | Toward (US) | Both correct; toward = American; towards = British |
| Faring vs fairing | Faring (wellbeing) | ‘Fairing’ = aircraft/vehicle part; not about doing well |
| Traveling vs travelling | Traveling (US) | Single L in American English; double L in British |
| Canceled vs cancelled | Canceled (US) | Single L in American English |
| Airplane vs aeroplane | Airplane (US) | Aeroplane = British English |
| Luggage vs baggage | Both correct | Luggage = more common in US casual speech; baggage = formal/airline |
Travel Writing Tips — Using These Words Correctly
For travel writers, bloggers, and anyone writing about trips and vacations, getting these common words right adds credibility and professionalism to your content:
- Always write en route (two words, no italics, never ‘in route’ or ‘on route’)
- Default to flyer unless specifically writing about airline loyalty program miles (where flier is conventional)
- Use toward for US audiences, towards for British audiences — and be consistent throughout your piece
- ‘How are you faring?’ not ‘How are you fairing?’ — remember: fare = to do/get along
- Use one L in traveling, canceled, and modeled for American English audiences
- Airplane (not aeroplane) for American English travel content
For travel synonyms — words for traveling, walking, maneuvering, getaway meaning, and on their way expressions — see our article on traveling synonym, walk synonym, getaway meaning, and travel vocabulary guide.
For authoritative American English usage guidance, see Merriam-Webster Dictionary — authoritative US English reference. For style guidance, see AP Stylebook — journalism and professional writing standard.
For an extended travel vocabulary including synonyms for traveling, walking, maneuvering, getaway meaning, and on their way, see our article on traveling synonym, walk synonym, getaway meaning, and travel vocabulary.
More Commonly Confused Travel Words — Quick Reference
Beyond the main confusions covered above, travel writing has several other frequently confused word pairs worth knowing. Cancellation vs cancelation: both spellings appear in American English, with cancellation being slightly more standard (two L’s). Canceled vs cancelled: American English uses one L (canceled); British English uses two (cancelled). Baggage vs luggage: both mean the same thing — bags and suitcases you travel with. Baggage is more formal and is the term used by airlines (‘baggage claim’); luggage is the everyday word (‘help me carry my luggage’). Itinerary: frequently misspelled as ‘itinerary’ (correct) vs ‘itinerary’ — the word has five syllables: i-tin-er-ar-y. Departure vs departing: departure is the noun (‘the departure gate’), departing is the present participle (‘the departing passengers’). Arrival vs arriving: arrival is the noun (‘on arrival’), arriving is the action (‘arriving at noon’). Passport: one word, always — not ‘pass port.’ Souvenir: from French, means a keepsake or memento of a place visited — frequently misspelled as ‘souveneir’ or ‘souvenier.’ The correct spelling is souvenir. These small spelling and usage errors appear frequently in travel content and can undermine the credibility of otherwise strong writing.
Bottom Line
| Flyer or flier? | Flyer — preferred in American English for both person and leaflet |
| Frequent flier or frequent flyer? | Frequent flier — conventional in airline loyalty program usage |
| En route or in route? | En route — always; ‘in route’ is an error |
| Toward or towards? | Toward — American English; towards — British English |
| Meaning of faring? | Experiencing / doing / getting along — ‘How are you faring?’ |
| Faring vs fairing? | Faring = doing well; fairing = aircraft/vehicle part — completely different |
| En route — one or two words? | Two words: en route — not enroute |
For Houston to Chicago, Houston to Orlando, LAX to New York, and US city travel flight guides, see our article on US city travel guide — Houston to Chicago, Orlando, and LAX to New York.
Travel vocabulary extends beyond individual word choices — understanding the grammar and style conventions of travel writing makes your content more authoritative and readable. When describing distances in travel writing, American English uses miles (not kilometers) for domestic travel. Speed is measured in miles per hour (mph). Time zones matter: the continental US spans four time zones — Eastern (ET), Central (CT), Mountain (MT), and Pacific (PT). Flight times are typically stated in local time at the destination. Hotel check-in times are almost always stated in local time. When writing about international travel, currency should be specified clearly — do not assume readers know whether ‘$’ means US dollars, Canadian dollars, Australian dollars, or another currency. Use USD, CAD, AUD, or the specific currency name to avoid ambiguity. Measurement systems differ internationally — altitude in the US is measured in feet (not meters), distances in miles (not kilometers). When writing about European or international destinations for a US audience, it is often helpful to provide both metric and imperial measurements, or to convert to the measurement your audience is most familiar with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it flyer or flier?
In American English, flyer is the preferred spelling for both meanings: a person who travels by air (‘She is a frequent flyer’) and a printed promotional leaflet (‘We handed out flyers’). The AP Stylebook and most major US style guides prefer flyer. However, flier is the conventional spelling in the airline industry’s specific term ‘frequent flier miles’ — so you will see both in travel contexts. When in doubt, use flyer.
Is it en route or in route?
The correct phrase is always en route — never ‘in route’ or ‘on route.’ En route is borrowed from French and means ‘on the way’ or ‘in transit toward a destination.’ It is written as two words (not ‘enroute’) in standard American English. ‘In route’ is a phonetic misspelling that occurs because ‘en’ sounds like ‘in’ when spoken quickly. In professional or published writing, ‘in route’ is considered an error.
Is it toward or towards?
Both toward and towards are correct English words with identical meanings. The difference is regional: toward is the standard American English form, while towards is the standard British English form. For writing aimed at US audiences, use toward. The same -ward/-wards distinction applies to other words: afterward (US) vs afterwards (UK), backward (US) vs backwards (UK), and upward (US) vs upwards (UK).
What does faring mean?
Faring is the present participle of the verb to fare, meaning to experience, do, or get along in a particular way. ‘How are you faring?’ means ‘How are you doing?’ or ‘How are you managing?’ It is commonly used to ask about someone’s wellbeing during a difficult experience (‘How are you faring in this heat?’) or about the performance of an organization (‘How is the airline faring after the pilot strike?’). Do not confuse faring with fairing — a fairing is an aerodynamic structural component, entirely unrelated.