Breakfast at the Centurion Lounge… dinner in Manila. United Airlines is piling on more Asia routes as an international travel boom propels airlines to new highs. United, for instance, will become the only American airline to offer daily nonstop flights between Manila and the continental US (via San Francisco). It’s also adding flights to Tokyo and Taipei.
Pacific voyage: Airlines are growing routes to meet surging demand for destinations like Tokyo. Excluding China, United’s Asia service this winter will be 40% larger than in 2019.
Mediterranean magic: This summer, airlines have scheduled 51K flights from the US to Europe (nearly a record). Round-trip tix are selling for an average $1.2K.
Cue the “White Lotus” soundtrack… Airlines have seen a surge in long-distance bookings as travel restrictions fade and the rise of hybrid work makes OOO schedules more flexible. A strong dollar is also making global getaways more appealing. Last week, Delta delivered its highest-ever quarterly sales and profit and lifted its forecast thanks to booming international demand. Delta’s international revenue was up over 60% from a year earlier, with Americans fueling bookings for “southern European destinations” like Italy (#SicilianSummer).
The FOMO effect is in full flight… Covid lockdowns made the world small, and international “revenge travel” is a way for folks to make it bigger. Social-media posts of balmy beaches in Bali and Aperol spritzes in Spain are feeding a fear of missing out (after years of missing out). It seems consumers are in it for the long haul: Delta CEO Ed Bastian expects the vacay boom to continue, saying we’re just in the “mid-innings” of travel growth.