Why has "safe travels" become ubiquitous now?

I’ve never heard anyone say this.

It may be just an American thing but I get it all the time.

I haven’t heard it either. But I do hope you have safe travels.

(I think I’d also rather hear that that anything that begins with “have a”—or, more emphatically, ”you have a”—or any other imperative verb.)

In our business, we often travel a lot, and far, so it’s not uncommon to hear. Personally, considering the quality of the systems we have to travel through – especially at border crossings – I prefer Illegitimi non carborundum.

Safe travels, safe trip, have a safe trip, have a great trip, I hear all of those quite often. None of them are new to me or used more than the other I don’t think.

“Be safe” is my own personal farewell blessing. I say it every morning to my husband as he leaves the house for work, often right before “Have fun storming the castle!”

It’s more a wish, less an order, than “Have a good day!” which no one can reasonably promise anyone else, due to Murphy’s Law being a thing.

We sometimes say “safe journey” but I don’t think it’s any more common now than before. Travel is very safe but I still say “safe journey”.

Do you think it’s a bad thing to say for superstitious reasons?

I hear and say “have a safe trip.” Not “safe travels” but maybe it’s popular in some areas, I don’t know.

I hear it (or its several variations) a lot and I think it does indeed reflect the angst many people have nowadays about traveling, especially flying, in light of ubiquitous media stories about terrorist threats, degrading infrastructure, and malfunctioning transportation equipment.

@JLeslie I don’t think it’s a good or bad thing, just seems funny to me when most of my friends have picked up the same phrase at the same time. I was just curious about it.

@janbb I get it. I find it interesting when a phrase catches on. Usually, it’s something I’m not fond of. The worst is when I catch myself saying something I didn’t really like when I first heard it. Lol. I won’t mention them here for fear of taking the thread off track.

@JLeslie yeah, that happens to me too.