Premium travel: The great re-seat

Despite an apparent decrease in the number of business travellers, airlines are reporting that levels of premium travel are nearing levels seen before the pandemic. Part of this is a shift in leisure markets towards premium travel. More travellers are demanding a premium experience, initially as part of the ‘revenge travel’ phenomenon to make up for the COVID enforced hiatus and now as a wider shift towards luxury voyages. Whether it is at the airport, in the air or at their accommodation, a new segment of the market is demanding a premium travel experience. 

• How are airlines and airports accommodating the new breed of luxury-focused traveller?

• How have new working arrangements and the shift to ‘bleisure’ travel contributed to this trend?

• Do rising travel costs – particularly airfares, booking and entertainment – signal an end to the trend, are travellers new spending habits here to stay?

• Can business travel be re-invented and reinvigorated to accommodate new trends in working and budgets?

• Have the priorities of business travel suppliers and business travel buyers diverged?