Mobile Menu

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Camel’s Hump Guest Ranch Getaway
    • Raft. Relax. Recharge
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon

West Coast Traveller

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Camel’s Hump Guest Ranch Getaway
    • Raft. Relax. Recharge
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
You are here: Home / news / ‘Bleisure’ trips boom as travellers mix work and play

‘Bleisure’ travellers – those blending business and leisure travel – are increasingly flying on Thursday, which allows them to work Friday and move into the weekend sooner.

‘Bleisure’ trips boom as travellers mix work and play

January 24, 2022 //  by mcclatchy

Share this:

By Mary Schlangenstein, Bloomberg News

It’s an age-old question: “Business or pleasure?” For airline passengers these days, the answer increasingly is both.

The growth in so-called “bleisure” trips blending personal getaways with remote work has helped fill seats on planes during the coronavirus pandemic and marks a shift in travel patterns for an industry used to clear divisions between briefcase-toting road warriors and sun-tanned vacationers.

Such excursions have been on the rise as the spread of the omicron variant has delayed the return to offices, especially among larger employers. The share of business trips that include a weekend has increased 23 percentage points to 38 per cent since 2019, according to corporate travel manager TripActions Inc.

“Many of our customers that we’ve historically called leisure travellers are actually flying for reasons beyond just vacation,” American Airlines Group Inc. President Robert Isom says. “They may travel to a beach or a mountain destination, but they’re actually going to work remotely for the week. The lines between leisure and business travel are definitely blurred.”

READ MORE: Tips for saving money on travel: The WCT Travel Guide

In response to the growing demand, TripActions added a dedicated personal trip booking platform in 2020. It averaged 22 per cent monthly growth last year, said Kelly Soderlund, TripActions’ senior director of communications.

A plunge in traditional business travel during the pandemic has hurt the bottom line of carriers that count on large corporate customers as a key source of profit. Their absence has been felt most deeply on international routes, as well as key cross-country travel corridors like New York to Los Angeles. Overall business travel bookings are 66 per cent below pre-pandemic levels, according to industry trade group Airlines for America.

But the boom in bleisure — a term not everyone loves — has helped make up for some of that lost traffic. American says the blended trips often are booked at the last minute and carry a higher fare. The airline also saves on marketing expenses and has found that people making such excursions tend to fork over the cash for a better level of service.

READ MORE: Work-from-home means work-from-anywhere! 4 west coast destinations to take a work-ation

United Airlines Holdings Inc. is generating a record amount of revenue from selling premium seats to leisure customers, Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Nocella says. The trend “represents a meaningful amount of potential upside” to the carrier’s revenue plans, he said.

Even as Big Business remains cautious about travel for work, domestic trips taken by employees of small- and medium-sized enterprises have rebounded sharply — with more of those now including added time for leisure.

Bleisure travellers are increasingly flying on Thursday, joining business passengers who historically have made that the biggest travel day of the week. That allows them to work Friday and move into the weekend sooner, according to Vasu Raja, American’s chief revenue officer.

“As we go through the pandemic, customers have a lot more flexibility with their time,” Raja says.

READ MORE: How to find cheaper flights: The WCT Travel Guide

***

Plan your adventures throughout the West Coast at westcoasttraveller.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thewestcoasttraveller. And for the top West Coast Travel stories of the week delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Armchair Traveller newsletter!

Share this:

Category: news, TravelTag: Air Travel, Travel

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

A Kelowna photographer captured images of a pack of wolves while on a weekend hike…

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in KelownaRead More

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

He might be a better skier and influencer than any Gen Z could imagine, possibly…

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in GoldenRead More

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

What’s going on around the West Coast? Here’s your inside guide to what’s happening where,…

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!Read More

Nothing is the New Something in B.C.’s Southern Gulf Islands

Many travellers believe spring and summer are the best times to explore. That means the…

Nothing is the New Something in B.C.’s Southern Gulf IslandsRead More

Vancouver Island photographer’s bald eagle image is Canada’s choice for international contest

A dramatic image by professional Vancouver Island photographer Anthony Bucci will represent Canada in a…

Vancouver Island photographer’s bald eagle image is Canada’s choice for international contestRead More

Fuel up for outdoor adventures in The ‘Loops: Serving up seconds on magical meals and memories!

The best compliment you can give a chef? Returning for seconds! Oh, and to tell…

Fuel up for outdoor adventures in The ‘Loops: Serving up seconds on magical meals and memories!Read More

The writer who’s been everywhere shares his 2023 California travel wish list

By Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times I’ve been meandering around California for decades, which is…

The writer who’s been everywhere shares his 2023 California travel wish listRead More

Tourism hopes high in B.C. as China lifts border rules, but recovery may take months

Zhengwen Hao says the phone for his Richmond, B.C., restaurant hasn’t stopped buzzing in recent…

Tourism hopes high in B.C. as China lifts border rules, but recovery may take monthsRead More

VIDEO: Young orcas caught showboating off Greater Victoria

They say the downfall of every great fishing story is a witness. But a group…

VIDEO: Young orcas caught showboating off Greater VictoriaRead More

Previous Post: « Camping reservations open for Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Next Post: Not your average ski trip: 3 memorable things to do in California’s Big Bear »

Primary Sidebar

Things To Do

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

January 25, 2023

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

January 25, 2023

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

January 24, 2023

Nothing is the New Something in B.C.’s Southern Gulf Islands

January 24, 2023

Recent Posts

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

January 25, 2023

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

January 25, 2023

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

January 24, 2023

Nothing is the New Something in B.C.’s Southern Gulf Islands

January 24, 2023

Footer

The West Coast Traveller has an immense social media footprint, with eight social media sites and and 125,000+ social followers.

Join us on social media and Join Our Community by sharing your stuff!

Get Inspired

News Media Groups

Black Press Media
Sound Publishing
Oahu Media Group
Alaska
Boulevard Magazines
Used.ca

Let’s Get Social

West Coast Traveller
I Love British Columbia
I Love Alberta
I Love Yukon
I Love Northwest Territories
I Love Washington
I Love California
I Love Oregon
I Love Alaska

Visit Our Companion Sites

I Love Saskatchewan
I Love Manitoba
I Love Nunavut
I Love Ontario
I Love Quebec
I Love Newfoundland and Labrador
I Love Nova Scotia
I Love New Brunswick
I Love Prince Edward Island

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon

Copyright © 2023 West Coast Traveller and · All Rights Reserved