For the first time since the pandemic, leisure and business flights surpass 2019 levels

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, global leisure and business flights have risen to levels not seen since 2019. That’s according to the Mastercard Economics Institute’s third annual travel report, titled “Travel 2022: Trends & Transitions,” published yesterday. After analyzing 37 global markets, the report found that cross-border travel reached pre-pandemic levels as of March — a significant milestone for a travel industry that has been dominated by domestic travel since 2020. Global flight bookings for leisure travel soared 25% above pre-pandemic levels in April, according to the report. That was driven by the number of short-haul and medium-haul flights, which were higher in April than during the same time in 2019, according to the report. Long-haul leisure flights weren’t far behind. After starting the year at -75% of pre-pandemic levels, an “unprecedented surge” in international flight bookings brought these flights “just shy” of 2019 levels in less than three months, according to the report. Like airlines, global spending for cruises, buses and passenger railways rose sharply earlier this year, with tourist car rentals in March surpassing 2019 levels, according to Mastercard Economics Institute’s 2022 travel report. Business flyers, who have trailed leisure passengers for the entire pandemic, are returning to the skies as well. At the end of March, business flight bookings exceeded 2019 levels for the first time since the start of the pandemic, according to the report, marking a key milestone for airlines that rely on corporate “frequent flyer” passengers. The return of business travel has been swift, as business flight bookings were only about half of pre-pandemic levels earlier this year, according to the report. The global upward trajectory comes despite a sluggish return to air travel in Asia.<br/>