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business travel: more flights and a new trend. companies are increasingly sending their employees on business trips again, with swiss firms leading the way. a surprising trend stands out. in the first half of the year, the number of airline tickets sold increased by 10 percent, while spending rose by 3.6 percent. this was revealed in the airplus business travel index, released on wednesday, which analyzes transactions processed through airplus. this growth in business travel in switzerland significantly outpaces the average for european companies (tickets sold: +1.6 percent; ticket spending: +1.7 percent). impact of the uefa european championship. while the uefa european championship had little impact on travel for european companies, the picture in switzerland was different: swiss companies booked significantly more tickets to germany between mid and late june compared to the previous year (+6.5 percent). «the combination of business and private travel continues to gain popularity among swiss business travelers. such flexible work models are crucial, especially in times of skilled labor shortages, to enhance both employee satisfaction and productivity and to retain talent in the long term», says andy stehrenberger, managing director of airplus in switzerland. this trend extends beyond football, according to airplus. some 22.8 percent of swiss travelers started their trips on a weekend, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared to the previous year (europe: 16 percent; +0.6 percentage points). increased focus on planning security. swiss business travelers booked their flights an average of 32.3 days before departure, nearly two days earlier than in the previous year (30.5 days). this indicates that companies are looking to secure capacities and prices early to ensure greater planning security. female travelers, in every market analyzed, were more forward-thinking than their male counterparts, booking trips almost five days earlier on average (europe: 32 vs. 27.2 days; switzerland: 33.7 vs. 31.8 days). slightly lower prices. a shift in booking classes is also evident: in the first half of the year, more travelers opted for premium economy or economy class over business class. this shift could be linked to changes in travel routes: in the first six months of 2024, slightly fewer business travelers took intercontinental flights compared to the previous year, with a corresponding increase in intra-european travel. ticket prices decreased across all booking classes. a business class ticket cost an average of 4,230 swiss francs in the first half of the year (-4.7 percent), an economy class ticket 603 swiss francs (-1.3 percent). the largest price difference was seen in premium economy, with an average ticket price of 709 swiss francs (-27.2 percent). simultaneously, the trend towards longer flights continued, which is also attributed to companies' sustainability efforts.
Business Travel: More Flights and a New Trend
Companies are increasingly sending their employees on business trips again, with Swiss firms leading the way. A surprising trend stands out.
In the first half of the year, the number of airline tickets sold increased by 10 percent, while spending rose by 3.6 percent. This was revealed in the AirPlus Business Travel Index, released on Wednesday, which analyzes transactions processed through AirPlus.
This growth in business travel in Switzerland significantly outpaces the average for European companies (tickets sold: +1.6 percent; ticket spending: +1.7 percent).
Impact of the UEFA European Championship
While the UEFA European Championship had little impact on travel for European companies, the picture in Switzerland was different: Swiss companies booked significantly more tickets to Germany between mid and late June compared to the previous year (+6.5 percent). «The combination of business and private travel continues to gain popularity among Swiss business travelers. Such flexible work models are crucial, especially in times of skilled labor shortages, to enhance both employee satisfaction and productivity and to retain talent in the long term», says Andy Stehrenberger, Managing Director of AirPlus in Switzerland.
This trend extends beyond football, according to AirPlus. Some 22.8 percent of Swiss travelers started their trips on a weekend, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared to the previous year (Europe: 16 percent; +0.6 percentage points).
Increased Focus on Planning Security
Swiss business travelers booked their flights an average of 32.3 days before departure, nearly two days earlier than in the previous year (30.5 days). This indicates that companies are looking to secure capacities and prices early to ensure greater planning security. Female travelers, in every market analyzed, were more forward-thinking than their male counterparts, booking trips almost five days earlier on average (Europe: 32 vs. 27.2 days; Switzerland: 33.7 vs. 31.8 days).
Slightly Lower Prices
A shift in booking classes is also evident: In the first half of the year, more travelers opted for Premium Economy or Economy Class over Business Class. This shift could be linked to changes in travel routes: In the first six months of 2024, slightly fewer business travelers took intercontinental flights compared to the previous year, with a corresponding increase in intra-European travel.
Ticket prices decreased across all booking classes. A Business Class ticket cost an average of 4,230 Swiss francs in the first half of the year (-4.7 percent), an Economy Class ticket 603 Swiss francs (-1.3 percent). The largest price difference was seen in Premium Economy, with an average ticket price of 709 Swiss francs (-27.2 percent).
Simultaneously, the trend towards longer flights continued, which is also attributed to companies' sustainability efforts.
