Airlines
Posted by: Charles DuBow on June 19
Remember to check the airlines’ own Web sites. They’re trying to cut costs, too, so they’re offering some of their best deals online.
Coach
Southwest Airlines: Southwest Airlines’ Business Select tickets cost $10 to $15 more per ticket, but you’ll get bumped to the front of the airline’s group-boarding procedure, and you’ll receive a coupon for an in-flight cocktail. Gate layouts now feature separate areas with power stations for your computer. Southwest also has its own self-managed Web site for corporate booking—flights, rooms at more than 30,000 hotels, and cars from 30 rental agencies—at Swabiz.com.
Jet Blue: JetBlue is expanding service on heavily trafficked business traveler routes. That means daily nonstop service from Boston to Chicago and New Orleans and new routes from Southern California regional airports to Austin, Tex., Las Vegas, San Diego, San Jose, and Seattle. Save 3% on flights when you pay with an American Express Business Card. The airline’s CompanyBlue points program includes a corporate spending tracking tool.
EasyJet: This European discount airline flies to nearly every major city in Europe. An economy seat on a roundtrip flight from London to Paris booked two months in advance will cost around $100. You can book hotels, rent cars, and browse travel guides on the website. If you create a web account you can also receive updates about special offers.
airBaltic: You have to fly through Riga, Latvia to reach most destinations in Western Europe and fares can be rather pricey—$600 for a roundtrip flight in coach from Moscow to Munich booked two months in advance. But this airline can be a good choice when navigating Eastern Europe, Russia, and Ukraine. It has expanded its flight service between Baltic capitals to accommodate business travelers working in Eastern Europe. Check the website for special deals on flights to Russian cities including Sochi, site of the 2014 Olympic Games.
JetstarAsia Airways: The discount airline based in Singapore flies to destinations in Southeast Asia, Australia, Japan, and Honolulu in the United States. A round-trip flight from Sidney to Singapore booked three months in advance will cost approximately $200. Business travelers in Australia can save on domestic flights with JetSaver Light, a discount program with one-way fares starting around $59. The catch is you have to travel light: you can’t check baggage with the JetSaver Light ticket.
Business Class
With competition fierce—and the major U.S. carriers actually turning a profit in 2007—some airlines are investing in their planes to attract business fliers. American has a spiffed-up business class in some of its long-haul aircraft, with lie-back seats, tray tables that interlock to create a larger work space, and privacy dividers. The Open Skies agreement, which went into effect in March and deregulates flights between the U.S. and the European Union, could result in good things for business travelers: Expect to see more direct flights to the U.S., and, in a best-case scenario, maybe even cheaper business-class fares.
L’Avion: This discount business-class airline flies from Newark Liberty International Airport to Paris Orly Sud. Its aircraft are more like corporate jets than commercial airliners, carrying a maximum of 90 passengers.
Virgin America: This entirely cashless airline may be a business traveler’s dream and a travel manager’s nightmare. You can order fresh food and drinks from the mini-bar right from your seat, and swipe your corporate card to pay for the treats. A roundtrip coach ticket from New York to San Francisco booked two months prior to departure will cost around $350, a business class ticket will cost around $900.
U.S. Airways: The airline’s Dividend Miles preferred program offers membership perks such as seat upgrades, early check-in and boarding, and priority standby. Businesses can also purchase dividend miles to give to clients. A coach round-trip flight in coach between Chicago and San Francisco will cost about $550 on U.S. Airways, and a business class seat will be $ 2,000.
British Airways: The airline’s corporate travel program, On Business, allows companies to receive loyalty benefits after a minimum of three employee trips booked on BA. The benefits are seat upgrades, hotel vouchers, and reward flights. There is a similar benefits program for individual travelers called Executive Club. A roundtrip coach ticket from Chicago to London this fall will cost around $2,000.
