Could it be environmental awareness, the new status of videoconferencing or, more simply, soaring ticket prices? The fact remains that business travel is struggling to return to its former levels in German companies. According to the AirPlus Business Travel Index published on 13 FebruaryWhile airline bookings have risen between 2022 and 2023 (+21 %), the volume is only 71 % below 2019 levels. But the volume is only 71 % below 2019 levels. And as the authors of the report point out: "With this figure, Germany is slightly behind the United States. European average of 76 %"The index focuses on 8 countries: France, but also Austria, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Germany.
" Although economic conditions have recently become more difficult for many German companies, they continue to recognise the relevance of face-to-face meetings and business trips." says Oliver Wagner. The AirPlus CEO continues: " face-to-face meetings are crucial to building trusting relationships, particularly in difficult times. Business travel expenditure should therefore not be seen as a cost, but first and foremost as an important investment.".
Another lesson from this AirPlus Business Travel Index the slow but steady progress of the business class. The share of 'business' has risen from 9.2% before the crisis (2019) to 13.6% in 2022, then to 14.1% in 2023. However, airlines are not selling off their forward classes - quite the contrary. According to AirPlus, while economy class fares have stayed the course - €513 on average, compared with €519 in 2022 - prices are soaring in business class. With an average ticket costing 3664 euros, fares have jumped by 11% from 2022 to 2023.
The report published by AirPlus also points to a - quite logical - decline in the number of domestic flights across the Rhine. This phenomenon is less evident over the period 2022-2023 than at the turning point of the health crisis. "Companies are increasingly encouraging their employees to keep flights within Germany to a minimum," stress the authors. For them, "It is therefore not surprising that the proportion of domestic flights will also be relatively low in 2023, at 35.9 % - slightly more than the previous year (34.8 %), but significantly less than in 2019 (49 %)".
Finally, the AirPlus Business Travel Index takes stock of top destinations for German business travellers and their companies. For both regional and intercontinental travel, the rankings show a certain stability over the period 2019-2023, dominated by the United States and the United Kingdom.
