The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
Why tourists are taking over in business class
Holidaymakers now outnumber corporate travellers in premium cabins – and the in-flight experience is changing, says Hazel Plush
‘Business class” is fast becoming a misnomer. When airlines first divided their cabins in the Seventies, those plush seats and fancy cutlery were the domain of corporate globetrotters. But now, holidaymakers are the ones turning left, and at a pace that far outstrips those flying for work.
The reason is simple: our buying power is stronger, and the airlines know it. “Generally speaking, corporations aren’t quite up to the profits they were pre-pandemic,” says Justin Penny, head of aviation at Flight Centre UK, who is also a frequent business-class flier. “So airlines have shifted to prioritising holidaymakers – and because it’s a global trend, prices are staying competitive too.”
This lust for luxurious leisure travel is driving the industry’s post-Covid recovery. In February, premium passenger traffic reached 86 per cent of 2019 levels, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), whereas the wider industry was only hitting 81 per cent. And despite the cost of living crisis, Britons are prioritising their holiday spending.
“Half of people say there will be no change in their holiday spend next year,” says Mark Tanzer, CEO of Abta, the travel association. “But the numbers planning to spend more (28 per cent) are ahead of those looking to spend less (21 per cent).”
According to Skyscanner, nine per cent of British travellers intend to upgrade their flight to business or first class in 2024, while British Airways Holidays is currently seeing a 21 per cent year-on-year uplift in searches for holiday packages with premium flights. But which airlines have the best business-class experience? And with more of us prepared to fork out for the privilege, can it retain its exclusivity – something that in recent years has been lost in the airport lounge?
“On the one hand, some airlines have top-tier premium cabins, chauffeurs and lounges with food that would bring a tear to King Henry VIII’s eyes,” says Jonathan DeLise, a food consultant based in the United States. “On the other, even with the most exclusive airlines, there’s a real ‘Ryanairing’ of business class. I’m seeing some airlines charging for lounge access even with a business-class ticket, charging for seating, and devaluing mileage accrual for those with the cheapest business-class fares.”
Which airlines do business class best?
Upper-tier fares are, generally speaking, airlines’ biggest earners. “Fill up the front of the aircraft, and the back takes care of itself,” one industry executive quips. But in order to keep those fares rolling in, high-quality business class requires significant investment: in industry parlance, ranging from the “hard product” (the aircraft itself, the seats, the cabin interior), to the “soft product” (the service, food and beverages). And unfortunately, these are far from consistent across airlines.
“When it comes to international business class, particularly with airlines such as Emirates or Singapore Airlines, there’s an additional level of luxury,” says James Cunningham, a health coach who flies business class at least twice a month. “The seats are more like private suites, and the dining is akin to a high-end restaurant – like a small luxury hotel in the sky.” Talk to any frequent business-class flier, and the leading Gulf trio come up repeatedly: Emirates, Etihad, Qatar Airways. All have invested in their product to a level that most carriers can only dream of: Emirates invested almost £40m in its wine collection alone last year, filling a cellar in France with six million bottles, many of which are worth hundreds of pounds, to be served in its premium cabins.
But European airlines are trying to respond. British Airways is currently rolling out new Club Seat cabins in its fleet, featuring flat-bed seats shielded from the aisle by their own private door. Lufthansa, meanwhile, is giving its long-haul business-class cabins a €2.5 billion (£2.15 billion) refresh, and Air France launched sleek new-look cabins in February 2023, complete with 4K television screens, wireless charging and seats trimmed with French leather.
But while Europe’s carriers invest heavily in their long-haul fleets, their short-haul products are often belowpar, complains one aviation executive who wishes to remain anonymous: “It’s lagging behind. So often in shorthaul, the business-class seat configuration just involves an empty seat between two occupied ones. I think some of the European carriers have a long way to go.”
The same applies on some US domestic routes too, says Jonathan DeLise: “What’s risible about regional business class in the US is that the flight attendants don’t really do anything. Depending on the stage length of the flight, you may not even get a soft drink, let alone anything else.”
How to travel business class for less
The difference between economy and business class varies wildly, but expect to pay anything from two to five times the price of an economy fare for an upgrade – or in some cases more. Is that good value, or bad? Only you can decide. How much do you appreciate a decent night’s sleep on a red-eye flight? Will your hips withstand another journey crammed into economy?
But while value is subjective, there is a sure-fire way to bring down the cost of your fare, says Justin Penny. “If you want to fly business class, book your ticket now, not in six months’ time – because the difference could cost you thousands of pounds. Last-minute purchases will get you caught up in the corporate booking window, because businesses often fly their staff at the last minute which always inflates the prices.
“Let’s say you book early, flying business class from London to New York, your ticket might cost you £1,100 – but if you wait to book until the weeks before, that same ticket could cost £8,000.”
And the sooner you book, the more likely you are to beat inflation-based price rises. Last year, the average lowest price of a return business-class ticket from Heathrow to New York was £2,019, according to discount fare finder Jack’s Flight Club – an increase of £283 on 2022’s average. The lowest average fare to Bangkok rose by £486, to £2,717 in 2023; to Dubai, it rose £136 to £1,630.
But if you value great service and seamless travel, upgrading is worth it, says Penny, and the experience is improving every year. “When you look at photos of business-class travel in the Eighties, with the big seats and the caviar trolleys, it looks great,” he says, laughing. “But it is absolutely nothing compared to today; this really is the golden age of business class.”