Luxury Travel Report by EliteVoyage, 2025 (ENG) - Report - Page 23
by EliteVoyage
Premium Airlines Continue to
Dominate
Where to Go? To the VIP Lounge!
Most of our clients utilise exclusive VIP
lounges before their flight. These are usually
located separate from the main terminal
building, with check-in and security checks
taking place directly in the lounge, and
passengers driven directly to the aircraft for
takeoff. “The exclusive VipWing terminal at
Munich Airport welcomes over 25,000 guests
a year. Demand is high, and we are seeing
a significant increase in passengers traveling
to destinations such as Dubai, Cape Town,
and Miami,” says Ludwig Krämer, General
Manager of VipWing Terminal.
For the third straight year, our clients spent the
most with Emirates. For the first time, Swiss Air
made it into the top five, which is based on the
total financial volume. This year we altered our
methodology from the total number of tickets to
the total cost, as this best reflects where clients
spend their money. For intercontinental flights,
all clients consider the quality of the airline and
its level of comfort. Departure time and smooth
connections are other important factors.
Etihad Could Bring Change
Future Outlook
European airlines such as Lufthansa and Swiss
benefit from good hub airports in Munich,
Frankfurt and Zurich, which are practical and
convenient for long-haul flights. Next year, the
popularity of connecting in the Middle East may
increase further, as Etihad Airways began flying
from Prague to Abu Dhabi in June this year. This
gives clients easier access to another good hub
airport that is particularly suitable for flights to
Asia and the Pacific. From April 2026, Etihad will
fly from Prague daily.
Airlines are placing greater emphasis on
passengers arriving at their destination rested
and refreshed. Lufthansa is introducing their
Allegris travel concept. “For the first time,
we are introducing the suite concept in first
and business class, which offers exceptional
privacy and comfort,” says Rhonen Azoulay,
manager of the Lufthansa Group. First-class
suites offer complete privacy with closable
doors and a single or double two-metre-long
bed. Business class passengers have five seat
options, including extra privacy, extra space
and extra long-bed suite.
Direct Flights are a Deciding Factor in
Europe
Sustainability will also play a greater role.
“True luxury will mean traveling responsibly,
with minimal impact on the environment,
but without compromising on comfort or
experience,” says Bořivoj Trejbal, Czech
Republic Area Manager at Emirates. Premium
air logistics means seamless coordination
from door to door, not just the flight itself.
It is about efficiently managing every stage
of the journey, not just issuing tickets. The
expanding flight network from Prague and
growing competition among premium airlines
are a positive trend that ultimately brings our
clients greater choice and flexibility.
Simplicity and speed are key deciding factors
for flights within Europe, where there is no true
luxury product on any commercial airline (even
on premium airlines within Europe, business
class means sitting at the front, perhaps with
the middle seat free). Clients prefer direct
flights within Europe, even if they are with
low-cost airlines. This explains why they will
use low-cost carriers like Smartwings, which
has direct connections to many key European
summer destinations. “We have seen increased
interest in above-standard services during
check-in and on board the aircraft. We have
therefore introduced Business Class on selected
routes,” says Vladimíra Dufková, Director of
Communications and Marketing at Smartwings.
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