Patriots Fans Fly Early to Super Bowl After Surprise Season

Optimistic New England supporters book flights and hotels for big game despite team's underdog status.

Feb. 5, 2026 at 10:55pm

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As the New England Patriots head to the Super Bowl, their fans are also making the trip to California, with some booking flights and hotels early in the season despite the team's underdog status. Seasoned Patriots fans say they learned long ago to plan ahead and not let Mother Nature disrupt their travel plans. Several fans interviewed at Boston's Logan Airport expressed confidence in their team and excitement to attend the big game, drawing parallels to the Patriots' 2001 championship run.

Why it matters

The Patriots' surprise run to the Super Bowl has generated significant enthusiasm among the team's loyal fanbase, many of whom are willing to make the cross-country trip to support their team. This reflects the enduring passion of Patriots fans, who have stuck by the team through ups and downs over the years.

The details

Several Patriots fans interviewed at Logan Airport said they booked their Super Bowl travel arrangements early in the season, even after some early losses, confident the team would make it to the big game. Bride-to-be Brigitte Gorham, a four-time Super Bowl attendee, said her fiancé booked their tickets right after one of the team's early games. Other fans, like Paula Moore, said they always plan to leave the East Coast early for the Super Bowl to avoid weather disruptions. The fans expressed optimism about the team's chances, drawing comparisons to the Patriots' 2001 championship season when they were also underdogs.

  • Fans booked flights and hotels early in the 2025 NFL season, despite some early losses.
  • The Super Bowl is scheduled for Sunday, February 9, 2026.

The players

Paula Moore

A seasoned Patriots fan who has attended multiple Super Bowls and always plans to leave the East Coast early to avoid weather disruptions.

Brigitte Gorham

A Patriots fan and bride-to-be who has attended four previous Super Bowls, with her fiancé booking their travel arrangements early this season despite some early losses.

Gordon Shone

A Patriots fan who sees similarities between this season and the team's 2001 championship run, when they were also underdogs.

James Horkan

A Patriots fan who expressed confidence in the team, saying their goal was to make the playoffs and then anything can happen in the Super Bowl.

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What they’re saying

“I've gone to all the Patriots Super Bowls. The smartest thing to do when you live in the east coast you've got to leave early. So you go to Vegas because you can always get a flight out in Vegas.”

— Paula Moore (cbsnews.com)

“My fiancé actually booked our tickets right after one of the first games even though we lost. He was like I have faith that we're going to make it. The tickets were really cheap to fly. We got our hotels and everything really cheap. Just had faith and now we're here.”

— Brigitte Gorham, Bride-to-be (cbsnews.com)

“It reminds me of 2001 because I was at that game that Bledsoe got knocked out of and that was the year the Patriots won everything. They've always been an underdog, just like they were in 2001 so hopefully history repeats itself.”

— Gordon Shone, Fan (cbsnews.com)

“My bar the whole season was let's make the playoffs and then anything can happen. That's still how we feel right now. The Super Bowl is one game, and anything can happen on Sunday.”

— James Horkan, Fan (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The Patriots will face off against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 9, 2026.

The takeaway

Despite the Patriots' underdog status, their loyal fanbase has shown unwavering support, with many fans booking travel arrangements early in the season to ensure they can attend the big game. This reflects the enduring passion of Patriots fans, who have stuck by the team through both ups and downs over the years.