Written by Mark Jackson, Client Services Manager and an expert in the field. Stay tuned for more great content from Mark in the coming months!
It’s no secret that the travel industry has been adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic—at one point in 2020, the TSA was processing just 90,510 passengers per day, a far cry from the 2.4 million it processed in 2019. While pure leisure travel has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in the three years since the pandemic began, business travel has not. Which type of traveler could fill the gap? The “bleisure” traveler has emerged, and their growing influence is something not only hoteliers and airlines should be paying attention to, but credit card issuers should also think carefully about how to capture their attention.
What is bleisure travel?
Bleisure travel was nearly impossible before the pandemic. Many companies still have remote work policies, or at least some form of office/home work hybrid arrangement. These location-independent workers are adding extra days to what would have otherwise been purely leisure trips, or teleworking from leisure destinations. And they’re in large numbers—pre-pandemic, business travelers accounted for 50% of airline profits, but they made up just 12% of total travelers. Now, American Airlines reports that it’s 40% of “hybrid travel.”
These customers are not the traditional business traveler cut into two equal parts , and they often splurge on perks sought by leisure travelers, such as more legroom, paid upgrades to business class, and better hotel room views. While some companies are calling back employees, the fact is that a large portion of future travelers will continue to be a mix of business and leisure as more flexible work policies persist.
How credit card issuers can cater to the needs of business and leisure travelers
Credit card issuers have long divided their credit card marketing efforts between personal and business cards, and of course, business credit cards with travel benefits have long existed. For example, the American Express Business Platinum Card offers benefits that cater to both business owners and frequent travelers, including access to its network of Centurion lounges at airports across the U.S. and even in London and Hong Kong. And with annual statement credits for Dell products and Adobe subscriptions, the card also brings value to small business owners who are highly focused on spending.