American Taking First International Flight Has Sudden Realization—'Wild'

The heartwarming moment a woman from a small town in Indiana went on her first international flight has gained viral attention. Samantha Angelie, who didn't share her surname, shared a video featuring her genuine excitement and infectious enthusiasm on her first long-haul flight. Read more: Compare the Best Rewards Credit Cards for Travel In the video on TikTok that has over 2 million views, she exclaimed: "Just boarded my first international flight. This plane is huge. I thought these were only in movies." Flying from Tampa directly to Zürich, she marveled at the multiple rows of seats, complimentary amenities like blankets and headphones, and the seemingly endless supply of food which she said was "wild."

The video prompted an outpouring of positive comments from viewers. Bella33 wrote, "I loved watching your excitement and happiness! I'm so happy you get to experience this! Hope you have a great stay in Switzerland." While viewer Yosh Monsta commented, "This is too cute. As someone who travels a lot (personal and work), this made me realize I take travel for granted." Read more: How to Choose a Travel Credit Card "What a lovely human being, grateful and appreciative—so refreshing—I hope you have a wonderful time," said mrs_p3. "I was born and raised in Berne, Indiana—a small town founded by immigrants from Switzerland. I was in the middle of a 3.5-week road trip with my friend Lauren when her boyfriend, Arno, suggested we skip a few towns on the trip and come to Switzerland for a few days instead. At first, I was really hesitant. I had never flown out of the country, but I really wanted to see the country my ancestors were from," Samantha told Newsweek. Before she knew it, her brother had overnight mailed her passport to Florida and they were boarding a plane in Tampa flying directly to Zürich. Read more: Which Airlines Have the Best (or Worst) Fees? "I was shocked when I first walked on the plane. I thought this is the type of plane they use for the movies. I've been on several domestic flights, and the largest plane I'd ever seen was one aisle with six seats to a row. I always wondered where first class was supposed to be because the planes look pretty much the same from front to back. When I saw the second aisle and more seats beyond on the plane to Switzerland, I started to wonder how it would even take off it was so big," she said. While frequent flyers might be surprised that this was Samantha's first international flight, according to a Pew Research Center survey, approximately 71 million Americans, 27 percent, have never left the U.S. When her video gained viral attention, Samantha was surprised. "I mostly just wanted to share with my family and friends who also haven't had this experience and would understand my appreciation. I wasn't expecting the video to reach such a large audience," she said. "Most of the reactions are very kind and appreciative. It seems that once someone does something often or gets used to it, they start to take it for granted. I'm really glad that the excitement I shared reached other flyers and reminded them that being able to fly for travel is amazing," she said. "Not everyone has the means or opportunity to travel outside of their home country. I'm so thankful I was raised to appreciate the little things in life and to embrace new experiences with a positive attitude."