travel companies market

Largest travel companies by market cap

This is the list of the largest travel companies by market capitalization. Only the top travel companies are shown in this list and travel companies that are not publicly traded are excluded. The ranking and the market cap data shown on this page are updated daily.

What is the market capitalization of a company?

The market capitalization sometimes referred as Marketcap, is the value of a publicly listed company. In most cases it can be easily calculated by multiplying the share price with the amount of outstanding shares.

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U.S. Travel has temporarily paused our monthly data newsletter, however, the latest travel data is still available via the U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard . This dashboard is updated each month (member login required).

The U.S. Travel Insights Dashboard , developed in collaboration with Tourism Economics, is supported by more than 20 data sources. The dashboard is the most comprehensive and centralized source for high-frequency intelligence on the U.S. travel industry, tracking industry performance, travel volumes and predictive indicators of recovery including air and lodging forecasts, DMO website traffic, convention and group trends, travel spending and losses, traveler sentiment, among others to measure the health of the industry.

Key Highlights January 2024:

• Travel appetite started the year on a softer note, but overall growth continued. Air passenger growth remained positive, up 6% versus the prior year but lower than the double-digit growth seen through 2023. Foreign visits remained strong, up 24% YoY.
• Hotel room demand continued a trend of slight contraction falling 1% versus the prior year, while short-term rental demand grew 1%, a lower rate than 2023.
• A particular bright spot was that group room demand within the top 25 markets displayed solid growth of 9% relative to the prior year.
• The outlook for the economy remains fairly optimistic due to the strength of the labor market, looser financial conditions and healthy household and nonfinancial corporate balance sheets. This has filtered through to slightly higher consumer sentiment in February.
• Sentiment is also growing for upcoming leisure travel in 2024. The share of travelers reporting having travel plans within the next six months increased to 93% in January from 92% in December, according to Longwoods International’s monthly survey.
• Travel price inflation (TPI) fell slightly in January as a result of falling transportation prices. Sticky services inflation should see relief from decelerating wage growth. However, upside risks stem from rising healthcare costs, supply chain disruptions and slowing labor supply. Source: U.S. Travel Association and Tourism Economics

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Travel Disruptors: Capturing B2B growth

In 1996, Expedia—then under the auspices of Microsoft—debuted as one of the internet’s first online travel agencies (OTAs). Expedia Group is now a publicly held company encompassing brands such as Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo. It sees more than six million average daily visitors and more than one billion average monthly searches across its sites and apps.

Ariane Gorin joined Expedia Group in 2013 and is now president of Expedia for Business. She oversees the company’s fast-growing global B2B ecosystem, which counts Walmart and United Airlines among its partners. Gorin’s advice to young people who are thinking of entering the travel industry? “Go for it,” she says, “because once you get in, you’ll never want to leave. What we do as an industry is help people create memories, and that’s incredibly meaningful.”

In this installment of Travel Disruptors , Gorin spoke with McKinsey’s Emma Loxton about the industry’s postpandemic recovery, Expedia Group’s B2B offerings, and how generative AI (gen AI) might change the business of travel. The following is an edited transcript of their conversation.

McKinsey: As the travel industry continues to bounce back from the pandemic, we see people traveling and interacting with travel companies in slightly altered ways. How has Expedia Group responded? Where have you invested to deliver for customers?

Ariane Gorin: It’s been an interesting few years. One thing that’s certain is that people need to travel, want to travel, and—no matter what barriers are put up—will find a way to travel.

At Expedia Group, when COVID-19 arrived in 2020 and borders closed, we saw consumers shifting to Vrbo, which is our vacation rentals brand. People were concerned with health and safety and wanted to be in their own bubbles, so they started renting whole homes. This meant that, while the air and hotel businesses didn’t do as well, the Vrbo business thrived.

Then, as vaccinations began and international borders opened, we saw people returning to international travel, hotels, and airlines. At Expedia Group, we have a diversified business, both geographically and in terms of brands and lines of business, so that as travel patterns changed, we always had an answer.

In terms of investments, I think we’ve led the way in having a focus on self-service and automation. When the pandemic began, we needed to handle a sudden onslaught of requests for cancellations, refunds, and credits. We were prepared because we’d already made a lot of investments in self-service technology. We quickly developed the ability, for example, for people to self-service airline credits, which was important for travelers but also really important for our airline partners. We let consumers make modifications using chats on our platform, instead of having them spend time on the phone with an airline trying to cancel or modify a ticket.

We also took advantage of the past couple of years to replatform our entire company. We have a number of brands—Expedia, Hotels.com, Vrbo, and others—that were each running on different technology stacks. In a world where having access to data and scale can be an advantage, the idea that we had these separate stacks and couldn’t innovate on them all at the same time was a problem for us. We found we had an opportunity, during a period of depressed demand, to do a lot of technology work under the covers and to then reemerge with a great platform that had scale and modern infrastructure and that allowed us to use modern data science to innovate faster for our travelers.

McKinsey: Countries have taken different paths back from 2020, and travel markets are developing at varied paces. How do you see the industry evolving in different markets?

Ariane Gorin: There are parts of the industry that have grown past where they were prepandemic, but other parts haven’t fully recovered yet. For example, air capacity in the United States is above prepandemic levels, but airlift between the United States and China is still only a fraction of what it was. Corporate travel is expected to recover, at a dollar value, in 2024 to where it was prepandemic, but when you factor in inflation, it means that from a volume perspective it still won’t have fully recovered.

There remain a lot of areas where there could be waves of growth. When you look at the middle-class population in Asia, it was about 2.0 billion people in 2020, but it’s expected to be 3.5 billion people by 2030. India, over the past decade, has issued 100 million passports, but still only 7 percent of the Indian population has a passport—compared with more than 40 percent in the US.

McKinsey: You’ve been instrumental in developing B2B offerings for Expedia Group. What was the genesis of that effort, where does it stand now, and what’s your value proposition for the different organizations that you work with?

Ariane Gorin: I started working on B2B initiatives in 2014. At the time, B2B was a small part of our business—basically using our hotel inventory to power other travel companies—and it wasn’t growing much. I think there was a perspective that the B2B business was sort of a sideshow.

What my team and I realized was that the travel industry was immense and that the major OTAs, at that time, were only a small portion of it. There was still a ton of business being done through corporate travel, OTAs in emerging markets, offline retail, and loyalty programs. Those were huge pockets of demand that our brands weren’t going after and that our hotel and airline partners wanted to be able to access.

We thought about how we could power all these other companies by bringing to them our technology and, especially, our supply of high-quality inventory. In recent results, B2B was at a record $995 million and growing at a 26 percent increase year over year for us. And there’s still a big runway for helping to power other companies.

The first thing in any B2B effort is understanding what your client or partner needs. For example, we work with an online travel agency in Indonesia. They already understand travel, and they are experts at knowing what their local traveler wants—how to market to that traveler, what payment types that traveler wants to use, and so forth. They know all of that. What they’re looking for from us is mainly access to great hotel inventory in Europe and in the US.

On the other extreme, earlier this year we announced a partnership with Walmart in which we are powering the travel component of its loyalty program. Walmart is not a travel company, so it is looking to Expedia Group to bring in a turnkey travel solution. And that includes not only the hotel inventory and the like but also the front-end technology. It’s our content and it’s our customer support. Similarly, if you go to United Airlines online and you look at the hotel tab, that’s us. They’ll be the first to say they’re not the experts in hotels, so they want our hotel inventory and also the great e-commerce experience that we can bring.

It’s really about listening to your partner and then having modular blocks of solutions—from technology to inventory and all of the support around them—that you can then fit to what the partner needs.

One of the things that’s helped our B2B business succeed is that we are part of a company that also has a B2C business. So we know what kinds of photos, content, and descriptions travelers want, and we are constantly making sure that our technology has the best uptime possible because we’ve got millions of people shopping on our own brands. When a B2B partner decides to come to us for their inventory or their technology, they know that it’s going to be backed by what’s working for these massive consumer brands.

McKinsey: Expedia Group is a very large company in the travel industry. How do you think about working with smaller organizations and entrepreneurs to create value for the traveling public?

Ariane Gorin: We’ve realized there are a lot of small companies or even individuals that want to participate in the travel industry, and we work with them in a number of ways.

One is that we have a program that allows an individual at home to become a travel agent. You can sign up for the Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program, which we call TAAP, and we’ll put all the tools at your fingertips to start to sell travel. For example, one woman who lost her job at the beginning of the pandemic decided to start her own travel business through TAAP, and that helped her build back her income.

For start-ups that are trying to make their way in the travel industry, we recently created an accelerator program. Its theme was around making travel more inclusive and accessible, so we chose a handful of start-ups that were working on accessibility. We gave them technical expertise, marketing expertise, access to coaches and mentors in our company, and stipends. It’s a six-month program. And in some cases, we actually looked at whether we could integrate their services into our products. It’s really fun to see how all of those start-ups are evolving.

And, of course, there are the individual property owners using Vrbo. What these entrepreneurs are primarily looking to us for is distribution. And our promise to them is that we’re going to develop a great platform with great marketing that’s going to attract travelers, but we’ll also provide advice about photos, descriptions, and other things they can do to help themselves get in front of the travelers who interest them. We have a lot of intelligence about what makes a property successful that we can share with them.

McKinsey: What’s your view on the biggest use cases for gen AI in the travel industry?

Ariane Gorin: I think smart players are going to benefit from it. We have often talked about how to “put the travel agent back in the OTA”—how to create a personalized experience for people, so they feel that Expedia Group knows them, is recommending things that make sense for them, and is helping them discover new things. I think within that realm of personalization, we can use gen AI to respond more easily to people’s queries and make proposals for them. We’ve already integrated ChatGPT on the front end of the Expedia app and into the shopping flow for our travelers. For example, if you’re looking at a particular property, you can ask questions about amenities, and you’ll have more conversational customer service experiences.

But I think there are also a lot of internal use cases. I have a fairly large team of commercial people who are out talking to partners every day. How can we use gen AI to make them more effective when they’re speaking to a partner? Can we use gen AI to create a summary after a call? Can we off-load some of the less value-add work for them so they can spend their time on more value-add things?

I suspect that in every boardroom, management teams are talking about this. What can you do to make your product better, but also what can you do internally for your company? At Expedia Group, we’re asking what we can do for travelers and for our internal teams, but also what we can do for our partners. We have a lot of information and data about what’s happening in the industry, so we’re wondering to what extent we can provide insights to our partners to help them make better decisions.

McKinsey: What’s one thing you wish you could change about the travel industry?

Ariane Gorin: There’s no denying that, like many industries, we have a big impact on the environment—even though, over the past few years, the growth of the industry has been faster than the growth of our environmental impact. Simply because we’re moving people around the world, sustainability is a real issue. So if I had a magic wand, the first thing I’d do is help us reach our sustainability targets much faster.

Ariane Gorin is the president of Expedia for Business. Emma Loxton is a partner in McKinsey’s London office.

Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.

This interview was edited by Seth Stevenson, a senior editor in the New York office.

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People are ready to travel. Where, when, and how varies as much as the individual. Passion, timing, and budgets lead the way. A smart media strategy, combined with evocative storytelling, will transport consumers to your destination.

• What is Travel Marketing?
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• — Virtual Reality Experiences
• — Augmented Reality
• — Increase Search Visibility
• — Content Marketing & Native Ads
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• — Personalized Messaging
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What is travel marketing and why is it i mportant.

• The Travel & Tourism market is projected to reach $54 billion in 2023.
• Revenue is expected to show an annual growth rate from 2027 of 4.41%, resulting in a projected market value of over one billion by 2027. 74% of this will be generated by online sales. 

It's clear why travel marketing is important. Having a data-driven travel marketing strategy makes all the difference in overall business performance. It promotes travel services to new markets, strengthens awareness of one's brand, and increases the rates of both conversions and sales.

Just as travelers— for business or pleasure—have priorities and purpose in mind, so too should travel and tourism brands. What distinguishes your hotel from the others? What’s unique about your location? Who are your primary targets and how are you going to make their experience exemplary to earn their affinity? It all starts with defining your audience personas, crafting your brand, and knowing your KPIs.

Top Travel Industry Trends (2022–2025)

Again, how and where we travel varies, just as much as the destinations themselves. Below are just a few ways people are traveling. Understanding who is traveling where—and why—will inform strategies and personalization.

• Travelers Go it Alone : 25% of all American millennials plan to travel by themselves each year.
• Travelers Crave Local Experiences : The “experience economy” is huge in the travel industry. Consumers crave authentic experiences that distance them from mainstream tourism.
• Going Virtual : For consumers who want to sample and learn about different places without leaving their homes, there’s the alternative of booking a private tour and activity with locals around the world virtually, and viewing in the metaverse.
• Bucket List Travel: Always wanted to see an Emperor Penguin? There’s a cruise for that. Interested in seeing the beaches of Normandy? There’s a personal tour guide for that. Chances are the journey for these experiences starts with a recommendation from a friend and a good old-fashioned Google search to get the lay of the land.
• Business and Leisure Travel : Working remotely can mean Italy as much as Hoboken. The concept of being location-independent— traveling and working remotely— has become a new mainstay post-pandemic. In turn, digital nomads are searching for locations and deals on where to work and play.
• Sustainable Travel : Most U.S. travelers believe there aren’t enough options when it comes to sustainable travel. Nearly 70% of travelers say they are more likely to book accommodations if they know the property is planet-friendly .

Travel Industry Trends Resources: Generational Marketing 2023 Marketing Trends and Predictions

One of the best travel marketing tips to keep in mind is that most customers are not really paying for products or services in their minds. They are paying for experiences . As with nearly all businesses, technology presents the travel industry with seemingly endless opportunities to connect with customers. Below are just a few way brands are getting noticed:

Video Marketing

In the travel industry, videos have long been an indispensable marketing tool. They show off destinations and hospitality businesses in their full glory. Travel marketers that lean into video creation—and that doesn’t have to equal big budget productions—will forge connections with target audiences. Digital video is an amazing way for brands to educate, elicit emotion, and tell compelling stories.

Virtual Reality Experiences—The Metaverse and You:

It’s the ultimate test vacation. The metaverse can transport you just about anywhere and no passport is required. Like what you see? Post an offer and start planning. While still in the early stages, the tourism industry is already making the jump in the virtual reality (VR) world . Over the past few years, museums have introduced more creative ways to interact with exhibits and some have even taken consumers on pub crawls. Thomas Cook , a pioneer in the travel and tourism industry for more than 170 years, is using 360 VR films so travelers can test the waters of Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt and more. And if you’re trying to reach Gen Z, they’re here and they’re ready to go places.

Augmented Reality Enhances Real-World Settings

AR, or augmented reality, differs slightly from virtual reality. AR uses apps and overlays to create an experience and show additions to a particular setting. Travel companies can use this to advantage by using AR to transport and showcase their offerings.

Increase Search Visibility and See Bookings Soar

It’s easy to take the importance of a focused SEO strategy for granted with so many other options vying for your attention, but that would be a mistake­. Not having a mindful search strategy as a key tenet in your media strategy would be like not seeing the Eiffel Tower when in Paris. A well-rounded SEO strategy facilitates direct bookings, drives site engagement, and increases overall cost-effectiveness.

Do it right, and you’ll see your Google rankings increase. Getting your brand name on the first page of results is the holy grail to success when 94% of search starts with a search engine and more than 25% click the first result that comes up.

While you may already spend on SEO, it's a good idea to have an SEO check-in from time to time to make sure you’re targeting the right folks and doing so the way they want you to.

Content Marketing and Native Advertising

Few things combine time and place to greater effect than native advertising. It’s the ultimate storytelling device, empowering marketers to say exactly what they want to say and where. A good magazine ad or digital native advertising piece will take the shape of an article—for example, by showcasing a vineyard in Napa on the cover of Travel + Leisure or a video highlighting the beaches of Mexico within a surfing site. The creative will transport viewers, and hopefully a nicely placed call-to-action leads to a website that will give audiences more of the information they seek.

A few native advertising tips:

• Create content that encourages the reader to act
• Know how you’re going to measure results: what is it that you want user to do after they read your article or play your video?
• Try to be original. If you are one of several players trying to host destination weddings, why should they pick you? Are you offering a special incentive code?
• Be authentic. Be real. Native content is storytelling, not overt advertising. It isn't directly selling, per se, but rather sparking ideas.
• Find a fit: Be mindful of where you’re running your creative and complement the space. It’s a curated audience you’re being seen in, so make the most of it.

For many, the first step to a journey is “hey Siri,” "ok Google," or “Alexa,” so it’s little surprise that increasingly travelers (and potential travelers) are turning to devices to book hotels or flights, and learn more about excursions and dining experiences. Markers can optimize content to capitalize on voice searches.

Personalized Messaging Enhances Customer Experience

The goal of effective advertising is to personalize messaging so it's as relevant and beneficial to the recipient as possible. If a travel brand is targeting a young family, it makes sense to highlight the activities for minors. If trying to become a bachelor or bachelorette destination, it may make sense to include in your ad the customized experiences available to enhance their stay (and perhaps a discount code). Leading with a customer-centric perspective distinguishes brands, creates affinity, and earns loyalty.

Data Draws the Big Picture: Big Data in the Travel Industry

The importance of data analytics to drive performance and ROI cannot be overstated and data visualization platforms play an important role in this. They—quite literally—provide a big picture of how all elements in any particular ad campaign are performing. Operators, in turn, can use this information to see what creative is performing strongest, and which platforms are driving the most visit to optimize performance.

Gathering the data enables travel and tourism entities to discern data sets and maximize budgets. Data visualization platforms, such as MNI’s industry-praised Optics , gives advertisers the ability to evaluate key metrics and optimize ROI.

• Engagement rate: How are people engaging with your content? Are they commenting, saving, and sharing, or merely scrolling past? If you have a million followers but only 1,000 interact with your marketing, that is not a great return on your effort.
• Targeting/Retargeting: Are your ads reaching new audiences and are you using data to re-engage potential leads or customers who leave your website without converting? Retargeting ads are designed to help advertisers reach visitors who do not convert right away. These campaigns are effective because they allow advertisers to target engaged customers with a highly relevant ad. Retargeting delivers strong results for increased awareness, website traffic, and conversion rate.
• Putting it all together: Let the picture of what you see tell you where you want to go, where you should be spending more, what ads you should optimize. For the effort that your business is putting into collecting and maintaining a database, you should be able to obtain an equal or greater amount of value from the insights it gathers. 

Attitudes to travel are a moving target. Whether traveling for business or leisure, going by air or train or car, the desire to travel is real. Telling your target audience how you will be providing value and keeping them safe is essential. Step #1, know your audience. Step #2, connect with them. Step #3, embrace a multi-channel strategy. To do this, it’s incumbent to keep up to date with the very latest travel marketing strategies and to partner with those that do it best.

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Six Travel Companies Make the TIME 100 Influential List

Photo: Intrepid Travel

On Wednesday, TIME released its annual list of the most influential companies in the world, an annual list that seeks to highlight the businesses, and the people, that are changing the future.

The list is compiled by the magazine editors who seek “nominations from across sectors, and poll our global network of contributors and correspondents, as well as outside experts.” The team then evaluates each company on key factors, which include impact, innovation, ambition, and success.

This year’s list, which is available in full here , includes six travel, or travel-adjacent, companies, all titans or leaders in their segment or pioneers trying to disrupt or innovate the status quos. Here are the six that managed to make it onto this year’s list:

1. Intrepid Travel The social conscious, adventure tour operator Intrepid Travel was one of the companies in the “Leader” section of TIME’s list because of its dedication to responsible globetrotting. It was one of two travel companies on the “Leader” list, which also includes NVidia, Patagonia, Chipotle, and more.

“People want to travel more responsibly—both environmentally and socially—and business is booming for the certified B Corp, which saw record-breaking booking days after launching a flight-free program (and more than 100 Indigenous-led tours) last year,” TIME wrote for Intrepid, which recently spoke to TMR .

“This honor is a testament to the power of travel; not only does exploring the world provide thought-provoking, incredible, fun experiences – it also has the power to transform our world and create more resilient communities,” said James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel. 

“This proves that our style of locally led, small-group adventures is no longer a 'niche'. Our way of traveling is actually helping to shape the future of travel. As an industry, we can support more responsible travel habits and make a substantial difference by using our collective power, influence and voice to help make the world a better place,” he added.

2. SpaceX The other company on the “Leader” list is SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space exploration company, one of several that are working towards making the dream of space tourism flights a reality.

“Last year alone, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched 61 Falcon 9 flights—or one every six days—making it the world’s workhorse rocket. It’s just the start,” TIME writes .

SpaceX is currently flying some commercial flights—last month it launched a commercial flight to the International Space Station with four private citizens onboard—and the expectation is that the company will have a huge part to play in the proliferation of the human space tourism industry, a growing segment that includes others like Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and Space Perspective .

3. Disney The entertainment and tourism giant Disney landed in the “Titans” category on the list, next to the likes of IBM, JP Morgan Chase, Mattel, and more. In its description , TIME marks Disney for its role as a corporate citizen, in particular for its ongoing political showdown. It also makes note of its success in the film industry—in 2022, it was the world’s top-grossing film studio for the seventh straight year.

According to the latest stats from AECOM , Disney also owns 8 of the 10 most visited theme parks in the world, a list that is led by its Magic Kingdom Theme Park in Orlando (17.13 million guests in 2022) at number one and its Disneyland Park in Anaheim at number two (16.88 million guests in 2022). Others on the list include Tokyo Disneyland at number three, Tokyo DisneySea at number four, Animal Kingdom at number six, and Epcot at number seven.

Just two of the top 10 are non-Disney parks—Universal Studios Japan, which came in at number five, and Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai, China.

4 and 5. Eviation Aircraft and ZeroAvia Israel-based electric plane startup Eviation Aircraft landed in the “Pioneer” category, alongside ZeroAvia, a British/American company building zero-emission aircraft. Both companies are aiming to help tackle a growing problem for the travel industry—carbon emissions. By 2050, the aviation sector may produce more than a quarter of global CO2 emissions if jet engine usage continues to rise.

Eviation’s goal is to create and supply all-electric planes to airlines and transportation companies around the globe and it has already proven successful on a small scale, completing the first flight of an all-electric passenger aircraft last September in Washington State. It also has already partnerships—so far, the company has orders for more than 400 planes, worth over $4 billion, with major customers like Air New Zealand and DHL.

ZeroAvia, on the other hand, is creating a plane that draws power from fuel cells with a lithium-battery assist. It has also already completed successful flights, and, by 2027, it hopes to be able to fly an 80-seat aircraft for up to 700 nautical miles.

Of ZeroAvia, TIME writes “Long-haul flights are the greatest source, by far, of the aviation industry’s carbon emissions. ZeroAvia’s solution: a plane with a hydrogen-­electric engine that primarily draws power from fuel cells, with a lithium-battery assist.”

6. LVMH Called “the king of luxury,” Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, also known as LVMH, lands in the “Titans” category, alongside Disney.

Probably more well-known for its luxury goods subsidiaries, a list that includes Tiffany & Co., Christian Dior, Fendi, and more, LVMH still has a strong presence in travel. It owns Belmond, the luxury travel company that operates hotels, river cruises, trains, and safaris, along with Jardin d'Acclimatation, a children’s amusement park just north of Paris, and Cheval Blanc Hotels.

Of LVMH, TIME writes “luxury-goods giant LVMH became the first European company to surpass the $500 billion mark this April, joining the top 10 largest businesses in the world by market capitalization and making its CEO, Bernard Arnault, the world’s richest person in the process.”

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India’s Massive Growth in Online Travel: Which Companies Will Lead?

Saniya Zanpure , Skift

March 27th, 2024 at 9:51 AM EDT

The online travel landscape is poised for dynamic growth as local players strive to maintain their dominance and western OTAs take steps to tap into the opportunity.

Saniya Zanpure

In a country known for tradition, India’s travel industry is undergoing a rapid transition. The younger population and a rising use of smartphones is reshaping India’s traditional travel booking landscape.

These forces set the stage for substantial growth in online travel in the coming years.

Skift Research’s latest report, India’s Travel Booking Landscape , offers a 10-chart overview of Indian traveler preferences and the top companies in online travel.

Unlike other markets, where third-party booking platforms dominate, India is unique: There is a roughly balanced market between direct bookings and third-parties.

Competition Heats Up

India has emerged as a pivotal market. As Western travel booking platforms gain traction in India, the third-party online travel landscape has become increasingly diverse and fragmented. 

OTAs are poised to play a significant role in India’s growing travel market and tapping into its online travel opportunities.

MakeMyTrip has emerged as India’s leading OTA, capturing 54% of the country’s online travel market. But western companies, such as Booking and Airbnb, have been steadily gaining market share.

As online travel booking becomes the primary method for Indians, it will be interesting to observe whether local, home-grown players retain their dominance or if the space is overtaken by Western players.

Read our India’s Travel Booking Landscape Report for further insights.

India’s Travel Booking Landscape

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20 Best Airlines in the World in 2024

T his article looks at the best airlines in the world in 2024. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis of the airline industry, you may go to 5 Best Airlines in the World in 2024 .

Global Air Travel

The airline industry plays a pivotal role in the global economy by connecting destinations across the planet, facilitating trade and tourism, and providing excellence in mid-air hospitality. The industry turned over an estimated revenue of $896 Billion in 2023, with projections indicating a rise to $964 billion in 2024.

Current outlook of the airline industry suggests continued growth as all regions barring the Asia-Pacific are set to surpass pre-COVID passenger traffic in 2024. IATA predicted that the number of global passengers is expected to increase to 4.7 Billion passengers in 2024, which would be a 200 Million increase from 2019. Consequently, revenue from passengers is expected to increase to $717 Billion in 2024 (2023: $642 Billion). At the same time, revenue per passenger mile is also expected to increase by 1.8% (YoY) in 2024.

While these numbers show that the airline industry is well-poised to recuperate from the effects of COVID, there are a few caveats to these forecasts. One such caveat is the rejuvenation of travel in major markets such as China. China was the first and one of the most heavily impacted countries during COVID-19. Post-pandemic, the country continued to implement strict visa restrictions, meaning that travel in and out of the country has failed to pick up in the same manner as the rest of the world. As per VOA News, i n 2023, China had 35 million border crossings by foreign internationals. This figure is just one-third of the 97 million border crossings by foreign internationals that were recorded in 2019.

The Airline Industry

While the demand for air travel is continuing to accelerate, the supply side shows signs of increased competition for market share. According to FinancesOnline , there are approximately 1100 commercial airlines in the world in 2024. It takes incredible effort and persistence for the best airlines in the world to distinguish themselves from the rest and provide travel experiences that continue to get customers in the door.

Striving to become the best airline in the world is like aiming for the gold in a competitive sporting event, where every move counts, and the competition is fierce. It requires incredible foresight and maneuverability for these airlines to maximize return on their operations whilst ensuring customer experience transcends their competitors. However, even the slightest hiccup will result in your competitors swooping down and claiming the hearts and wallets of the passengers you had so meticulously incubated.

From the customer's perspective, the decision of choosing the right airline depends on several factors. Firstly, it's the in-flight experience itself. Every client, no matter the class of their cabin, expects airlines to provide a seamless service with a myriad of amenities. Secondly, the condition of the airplane, including both its safety standards and aesthetics, is an incredibly important factor. Even the slightest failure in ensuring well-being can have dire consequences, even for the  best airline in the world . Lastly, like any other activity in life, the cost of travel is a critical decision-making factor. In the present age, passengers have the luxury of using online websites to compare ticket prices from the comfort of their homes, and undercutting your competitors is one of the most effective ways of gaining clientele.

With these factors considered, join us as we look the best airlines in the world in 2024 . If you feel that your choice of airlines is exclusively dependent on safety, you may want to view our list of 20 Safest Airlines in the World for 2024 . You may also find our list of 20 Largest Airlines in the World in 2024 to be extremely insightful.

Methodology

To develop our list of best airlines in the world in 2024 , we initially developed a list of airlines recommended as the best airlines in the world using several credible sources. We then used websites such as TripAdvisor , SkyTrax , and AirlineRatings to obtain scores for each airline across different metrics. This included service quality, value for money, and safety, as well as the overall ratings which encompassed additional factors such as food, in-flight amenities, and customer service. By accumulating these scores, we developed a scorecard which was then sorted in a descending order, out of which the top 20 airlines were selected as the best airlines in the world in 2024 .

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years ( see the details here ). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional one looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

Here are 20 Best Airlines in the World in 2024 .

20. Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA )

Insider Monkey Score: 11.5

Trip Advisor Rating: 3.5

We start our list of best airlines in the world in 2024 with Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:HA). Although its operations are restricted to and from the islands of Hawaii, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA) with its brand Hawaiian Airlines checks all the boxes for an incredible airline. With 61 planes and an average fleet age of 12.2 years, the airline was named as the Reader's Favorite Domestic Airline by Travel + Leisure .

Moreover, in 2024, the airline will be unveiling Leihōkū, a new business class cabin in a selection of its airplanes. The cabin has been designed with features akin to Hawaii's volcanic vista, while the roof will feature a simulated skylight. Moreover, in its efforts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: HA) plans on transitioning to a lower-emission biofuel as soon as 2029.

19. JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU )

Insider Monkey Score: 11.7

In the past, JetBlue Airways Corporation's (NASDAQ: JBLU) USP was its low-cost services. However, in the last decade, the airline has slightly shifted from this strategy by adding routes and amenities that other low-cost airlines are not providing. For example, the airline markets itself as having flights with the most legroom for economy class passengers in the US. As a result, its current strategy is to provide a superior travel experience at budget friendly prices. Apart from domestic airports, JetBlue Airways Corporation (NASDAQ: JBLU) also offers flights to London, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, and several Caribbean countries. Its exceptional service, adequate safety standards, and value for money contribute towards making it one of the best airlines in the world in 2024 .

18. British Airways

Insider Monkey Score: 12.5

British Airways operates flights to over 75 countries and is renowned for its exceptional service. The airline is often lauded for its punctuality and believes that this is an important part of its customer service proposition. In addition, the airline is considered to offer an extremely safe experience, and has not been involved in any accident leading to fatalities among the crew and passengers since 1976. The airline announced a £7 billion transformation plan recently, which involves use of AI and other tools to ensure its departures can be improved even further. The plan also involves other updates such as the addition of new routes, new lounges, and a commitment to increased use of next-generation fuels to 10% by 2030.

17. Virgin Australia

Insider Monkey Score: 13.1

Virgin Australia is Australia's second largest airline and is considered the best airline under the Virgin brand. The airline is popular for being a relatively low-cost airline that still manages to provide a more than acceptable in-flight experience. AirlineRatings awarded Virgin Australia as the airline with the best cabin crew in 2023. Recently, the airline announced that some of its cabins would soon be allowing pets to accompany passengers. Thus, apart from its excellent staff, the airline might soon become an extremely convenient travel option for pet parents.

16. Swiss International Air Lines

Insider Monkey Score: 13.2

Swiss International Air Lines, owned by Lufthansa, is regarded as one of the most seamless travel experiences in the skies. The airline was recently voted Europe's Leading Airline – First Class and Europe's Leading Airline to Asia in the 2024 World Travel Awards. For economy class passengers, the airline offers plenty of legroom and comfortable seats, making it a convenient choice for long haul flights. With an average fleet age of 9.9 years, it planes tend to be equipped with most modern amenities, especially for its Swiss First Cabins. The airline flies to over 50 countries in the world and provides a convenient itinerary for a connecting flight to many destinations in mainland Europe.

15. Etihad Airways

Insider Monkey Score: 13.3

Trip Advisor Rating: 3

Owned by the Etihad Etisalat Company, Etihad Airways is a UAE based airline that is famous for its exceptional service standards and extravagant in-flight amenities. It is one of the best airlines in the world in 2024, complemented for having some of the best amenities among all major international flights. Moreover, it offers an extensive network of destinations to locations all around the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Additionally, it carries an excellent reputation for customer centricity, including a culture of providing prompt and accommodating services in case of inconveniences.

14. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL)

Insider Monkey Score: 13.5

Trip Advisor Rating: 4

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) has been hailed as being the best airline in North America for quite some time. The airline is considered extremely reliable, having minimal delays in takeoffs whilst also having fewer involuntary bumps than other major US airlines. In 2023, the airline bumped just 2 out of 161 Million passengers in 2023. Moreover, Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE: DAL) also offers plenty of loyalty and code-sharing incentives, making it easier for members to plan their trips with flexibility.

13. Turkish Airlines

Insider Monkey Score: 13.7

Turkish Airlines flies to over 120 countries, making it the largest airline in the world in terms of passenger destinations. Its incredible network of destinations is unrivalled and can therefore cater to passengers from all parts of the planet. The airline provides unique amenities, such as an amenity kit for all passenger classes on long haul flights. It has won many accolades over the years to certify its position as one of the best airlines in the world . Moreover, the airline is continually expanding its operations through the introduction of new routes and improved carriers. According to CEO Bilal Ekşi, the airline plans on increasing its fleet to 813 planes by 2033.

12. Lufthansa

Insider Monkey Score: 13.9

Lufthansa is one of Europe's largest airlines and happens to own several other major European airlines such as the Swiss International Air Lines. Its well renowned for both convenience and an incredible first-class experience. A trip inside Lufthansa's first-class cabins generally involves a collection of red and white wines along with Caviar. Lufthansa is also famous for leading the industry in technological advancements. It was the first airline in the world to incorporate Wi-Fi capabilities, something that has changed the experience of air travel forever. Like other major airlines, Lufthansa is working towards reducing its CO2 emissions to net-zero by 2050, however, it has gone a step further by aiming to cut its carbon footprint to half of 2019 volumes by 2030.

11. Air New Zealand

Insider Monkey Score: 14.1

In comparison to other airlines on the list, Air New Zealand has a shorter network of flights, flying to approximately 20 countries in total. That said, it is consistently ranked among the best airlines in the world owing to its excellent reputation for safety and well-being. It is also renowned for its in-flight entertainment, which makes it a wonderful choice for long haul and family trips. Air New Zealand led our list of 20 Safest Airlines in the World for 2024 .

10. Air France

Insider Monkey Score: 14.4

Air France flies to nearly 200 destinations across 80 countries, thus providing connectivity to locations around the planet. The airline is popular for offering delicious in-flight food and catering services. It is also considered to be extremely comfortable and reliable. According to AirFleets , it has an inventory of over 200 planes with an average fleet age of 13.3 years, which is somewhat higher than most top airlines. The airline recently revealed that many of its flight operations in the region were severely impacted in the past year, contributing to a loss in the final quarter of 2023. However, despite this setback the company generated a record turnover of 30 Billion Euros for the full year.

9. Korean Air

Insider Monkey Score: 14.5

Korean Air has had quite a history of crashes and incidents, however, the airline has had an incredible turnaround in the last 2 decades and is now one of the best airlines in the world in 2024 . The airline recently earned the award for best cuisine in the Global Traveler's Awards and has also earned a 5-star rating from APEX. Korean Air now flies to approximately 50 countries and transported over 100 Million passengers in 2023.

8. Qantas Airways

Insider Monkey Score: 15.8

Qantas Airways is Australia's largest airline company and flies to over 30 countries. The airline is considered to be one of the safest operators in the industry and has gained an incredibly loyal base of travelers for this reason. Recently, the airline posted a 13% decrease in annualized profits for its HY24 financials. However, the company remains positive regarding future outlook and claimed that the decrease in profits were a result of decrease in airfare that had been implemented due to its focus on affordable air travel.

Insider Monkey Score: 16.8

EVA Air is Taiwan's second largest airline. Although the airline offers no routes for Africa, it has an impressive catalogue of destinations in the Asia Pacific. It has an average fleet age of 8.5 years and has announced the purchase of 33 additional Airbus jets earlier this year. EVA Air has consistently managed to take plaudits for being one of the best airlines in the world . The airline is also a part of the Star Alliance, meaning that its members have the flexibility of redeeming their loyalty points on routes offered by other partner airlines.

6. Cathay Pacific

Insider Monkey Score: 17. 3

Cathay Pacific is one of the best airlines in Hong Kong and flies to approximately 200 destinations worldwide. It is one of the founding members of the Oneworld Alliance, meaning that its members can enjoy codeshare privileges with several partners around the world. Cathay Pacific was among the hardest hit airlines in the world during the pandemic and posted losses in each of the first 3 years of the pandemic. The sluggish recovery was a consequence of Hong Kong's prolonged travel restrictions and strenuous protocols. However, the company recently announced its full year results for 2023 and confirmed that it had finally posted a net profit of $1.25 Billion. The airline is also confident on reaching pre-COVID flight levels by the first quarter of 2025.

Click to continue reading and see the 5 Best Airlines in the World in 2024 .

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Disclosure: none.  20 Best Airlines in the World in 2024 is originally published on Insider Monkey.

TikTokers want to 'normalize' flying economy, arguing most influencers give way too much prominence to business class

• TikTokers are campaigning to "normalize" flying in coach.
• Travel influencers often promote high-end services even though few can afford them.
• Viewers increasingly appreciate content that portrays normal and relatable experiences.

TikTokers are striving to "normalize" flying in economy, fighting back against influencers who make out that first or business class is the only way to travel.

"Normalize flying in economy," the content creator Hybee, who covers beauty and lifestyle, wrote as the caption of a recent video.

(Economy is — of course — already normal, by far the most common type of air travel. But you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise from the slew of videos, reviews, and reels showcasing pricier options.)

Economy is "fine," Hybee said, showing what her 15-hour Korean Air flight looked like from her aisle seat. She was given a bottle of water, some headphones, and a meal of beef and vegetables.

"Not luxury but still yummy," she wrote.

The bathroom was "pretty standard," she said, and "cramped, but it does the job."

"Economy is FINE. Economy is NORMAL," she said at the end. "Don't be fooled by social media."

@hybeereviews Economy is perfectly fine ✨ #fyp #fypシ #travel #flight #koreanair #airplane #traveltiktok ♬ Dance You Outta My Head - Cat Janice

The influencer industry has long been associated with luxury, going back to at least 2009 when content creation began to change from being merely a hobby to a legitimate career.

Being an "influencer" has always been seen as a dream job, with those lucky enough to make it being able to do what they love, travel around the world, and work whatever hours they want.

Influencers racked up followers while being invited on enviable brand trips , scoring mountains of free products from beauty and clothing brands, and maintaining sleek, curated Instagram feeds.

Rarely was slumming it in coach part of that picture, with influencers instead opting for more expensive air travel options, even sometimes flying on private jets.

Now, people seem to want something different from the creators they follow. Influencers being rich is no longer novel, and authenticity is increasingly what shines through .

Jessica Dante, an entrepreneur and founder of the travel page Love and London, told Business Insider the shift is good "for almost everyone."

"The vast majority of flyers will take economy and they still want to see videos that review airline experiences, show how people can get rest on long haul economy flights," she said.

Viewers want "more relatable travel inspiration that they can then take action on," she argued.

Related stories

"With many people dealing with the cost-of-living crisis, I think viewers are getting a little tired of the unattainable, aspirational content and instead want to see relevant, relatable stories that actually have an impact on their future travels."

Cari Elizabeth, a travel content creator, recently posted a TikTok showing "what it's like to fly economy on an international flight," for example. It amassed 2.9 million views.

@carielizabethh here is what it’s like to fly economy on an international flight on AirFrance ✈️🌍 #travel #traveltiktok #flyingeconomy #economyflight #flyingeconomyhacks #firstclassflight #firstclasstravel #businesstravel #businessflight #economytravel #airfrance #airfranceflight #flyingexperience #flywithme #flyeconomy #economyclass #flyinginternational #international #internationalflights #parisfrance #flighttoparis #inflightrefueling #inflight #inflightfood #inflightmeal #caritravels ♬ original sound - cari

Elizabeth said she was flying from Detroit to Paris on Air France and would give the "full rundown."

Flying business class wasn't "worth the extra cost" to Elizabeth and her boyfriend, she said, because they would rather spend that money on the actual vacation.

Elizabeth said she got a blanket, headphones, and a pillow for the flight, as well as a chicken dinner and dessert.

"This wasn't anything special, it wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't the best meal I've ever had," she said. "Obviously, I'm super grateful for it though, because I was hungry on this long flight."

She got breakfast a few hours later, saying the orange juice, muffin, and bread were "nothing special, but better than nothing."

The seats were also "way more comfortable" than expected, she said, affording her a few hours of sleep.

"I don't think I would have changed the experience to pay way more to sit in business, first class, or even the premium economy seats," she said.

"Don't let anybody make you feel bad for not flying business or first class, because we're all going to the same place anyway."

People in the comments of Hybee and Elizabeth's videos generally appreciated the realistic reviews.

While some noted that economy travel is already "normalized" because most people do it, others appreciated the candor.

"Thank you for this," one person wrote on Hybee's video. "We booked economy for our Japan flight."

Another said they loved the video because "I was starting to feel bad I've never flown anything other than economy."

Some said flying itself is a luxury, which many forget.

"I can't even afford economy tickets," one person responded. "If I can't drive, I can't go."

"Economy is fine!" one person wrote. "Your trip will still be amazing."

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Why did the bridge collapse and what is the death toll?

What is the death toll so far, when did the baltimore bridge collapse, why did the bridge collapse, who will pay for the damage and how much will the bridge cost.

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Writing by Lisa Shumaker; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Josie Kao

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

Thomson Reuters

Lisa's journalism career spans two decades, and she currently serves as the Americas Day Editor for the Global News Desk. She played a pivotal role in tracking the COVID pandemic and leading initiatives in speed, headline writing and multimedia. She has worked closely with the finance and company news teams on major stories, such as the departures of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and significant developments at Apple, Alphabet, Facebook and Tesla. Her dedication and hard work have been recognized with the 2010 Desk Editor of the Year award and a Journalist of the Year nomination in 2020. Lisa is passionate about visual and long-form storytelling. She holds a degree in both psychology and journalism from Penn State University.

Philippines says it will not yield to submission in row with 'patronising' China

The Philippines is not seeking a fight or trouble in the South China Sea but will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience, its defence ministry said Friday, in its latest show of defiance in a heated row with China.

An Israeli court on Thursday ruled that a former Mexican diplomat who has been accused of sexual abuse and rape in one of his home country's most prominent #MeToo cases is extraditable.

As aviation industry becomes butt of jokes, officials stress flying is safe

Aviation safety is under the microscope after revelations of problems at boeing. but while the company faces serious challenges, experts say it’s still safe to get on a plane..

The nation’s top aviation safety officials sought to reassure travelers this past week that flying in the United States remains incredibly safe, despite a series of high-profile mishaps and an ongoing probe at Boeing that have spooked the public and turned airlines into fodder for late-night comedians and social media meme pages.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stressed at a conference hosted by news site Axios that flying was the safest way to travel. Michael Whitaker, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, repeated that message on NBC’s “Nightly News .” And in a post on X , Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, compared the airlines’ safety record against the 118 people who die on average each day in car crashes.

But their voices have to compete with the likes of comedian Jimmy Fallon, who targeted Boeing in a limerick on his show this month : “Spring break the students were going — excited, they all were a-glowin’. Then they let out a squeal, lost the door and the wheel, guess they shouldn’t have flown on a Boeing.”

The dueling messages reflect the complexity of understanding the current moment in aviation safety , which requires untangling several seemingly contradictory threads, experts say. January’s midair blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight was dangerous and could have led to people being killed, but the U.S. airline system has gone 15 years without a fatal crash. Subsequent investigations turned up serious quality control problems in Boeing’s 737 Max factory , but the FAA says it is continuing to certify planes coming off the production line as safe. A string of other recent in-flight incidents prompted the FAA on Saturday to announce it would increase its oversight of at least one major air carrier, United Airlines — but experts say there’s no sign of a systemic problem.

The NTSB, which is leading the investigation into the Alaska incident, is responsible for investigating every aviation accident involving significant damage to an aircraft or injuries to people on board. So far this year, it has opened 10 investigations into airline flights, compared with 13 in the same period last year. Some recent incidents that have attracted attention — such as a United Airlines flights that lost a tire — did not rise to the level of requiring an NTSB investigation.

Robert Sumwalt, a former chairman of the safety board, said he sees no evidence that flying has become less safe right now. While he said it’s not acceptable for wheels to fall off planes or a jet to run over the end of a runway, the system has redundancies in place to keep people from getting hurt.

“What I believe we have is a situation where once one or two of these things happen, the media starts jumping on these things,” Sumwalt said in an email. “It’s a feeding frenzy.”

For now, the safety worries do not appear to be dampening Americans’ enthusiasm for air travel. In recent polls, respondents have said they still view flying as generally safe . And Airlines for America, a group representing major carriers, forecast that spring travel demand will be up 6 percent compared with last year, predicting that a record 167.1 million people will fly in March and April.

“We are proud of our safety record yet recognize that we cannot become complacent and must always exercise vigilance,” the group said in a statement. “We take every incident seriously and investigate — coordinating closely and working collaboratively with industry partners and government agencies.”

Nonetheless, news reports have quickly become fodder for scathing memes about Boeing and aviation safety that have recently spread across nearly every social media platform. On Instagram, large humor accounts including @funnyhoodvidz with 15.6 million followers, @thetinderblog with over 4 million followers and @moistbuddha with over 3.7 million followers have posted memes mocking Boeing and its 737 jets.

Dozens of pages have shared a post by X user Jon Drake that reads, “In my 737 era (falling apart, few loose screws, not properly maintained for several years).”

On TikTok, searches for the name Boeing surface hundreds of videos commenting on recent safety slip-ups and the death of a Boeing whistleblower .

“You couldn’t pay me to step on Boeing right now,” said one TikToker with over 1.3 million followers who goes by the handle @justinonTikTok. The video has over 270,000 views and a slew of commenters saying that they too are too scared to fly the planes. Some comments question the company’s role in the whistleblower’s death. (Authorities have said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.)

Don Caldwell, general manager of Know Your Meme , an internet meme database, said the company has seen a significant spike in memes about Boeing and safety concerns. Some companies might respond by trying to engage online directly, but Caldwell said that doesn’t appear to be a good option for Boeing.

“The memes online now are very critical of Boeing and their practices,” Caldwell said. “They present Boeing as incompetent and their planes as dangerous.”

The online content builds on real safety issues that have continued to occur in recent weeks, and target airlines as well. On Monday, United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby sought to reassure customers after a string of incidents involving the carrier, highlighting a planned day of extra training for pilots in May.

“Our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety,” Kirby wrote in a letter to passengers. The letter did not identify specific incidents, but in addition to the plane losing a tire, another United plane was found to be missing a section of paneling after landing, and another suffered an engine fire.

“While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus,” Kirby wrote.

On Friday, United said the FAA would conduct extra oversight of the airline. “They agree that we need to take an even closer look at multiple areas of our operation to ensure we are doing all we can to promote and drive safety compliance,” the company said in a memo to staffers.

The FAA said Saturday that it was “increasing oversight of United Airlines to ensure that it is complying with safety regulations; identifying hazards and mitigating risk; and effectively managing safety.”

FAA regulators identified quality-control problems at the factory outside Seattle where Boeing assembles its 737 Max aircraft, as well as at a major supplier’s factory in Wichita. Officials say the FAA’s efforts to hold Boeing accountable — the agency has demanded a plan to correct the problems at the Washington plant and has capped production rates — are examples of the safety system in action.

The preliminary NTSB report on the Alaska incident found the panel that flew off the plane had been removed in Boeing’s factory and seemingly reinstalled without bolts supposed to hold it in place. Boeing has said it has been unable to find documentation connected to the work.

Among the audit findings related to the supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, were examples of workers using Dawn soap and hotel key cards to carry out jobs in the factory — a seemingly jarring intrusion of everyday items into a sophisticated manufacturing plant. But Joe Buccino, a Spirit spokesman, said both were suitable for the tasks and that the audit findings related to how their use had been documented.

Buccino said that in all the audit had found seven areas where the company failed to meet FAA standards. “We seek continual improvement across all aspects of our programs and this audit provides an azimuth and direction toward that end,” Buccino said.

Executives at Boeing have also acknowledged the findings and say they’re working to address them. Brian West, the company’s finance chief, told analysts at an investment conference last week that the solution would involve training and tackling problems like “traveled work,” where manufacturing problems have to be resolved outside of the typical sequence.

“There’s changes that need to happen. There’s no doubt about it,” West said. “...We acknowledge that we need to improve upon safety and quality and conformance.”

Whitaker said in an interview last week that the evidence from the audit and survey of Boeing’s safety culture showed that the company had been focused more on finishing planes than on ensuring quality and safety. Redressing that balance would take a culture shift at the company, he said.

“Safety and quality has to be the bedrock of everything you do and production has to be secondary,” Whitaker said.

But, Whitaker said, had the FAA audit turned up something that posed an immediate safety risk with an aircraft, the agency “wouldn’t let it be produced.”

The FAA and the NTSB are continuing to investigate the Alaska incident and broader issues at Boeing. But Homendy, the safety board chair, stressed the continued safety of the airline industry.

“I’ve seen a lot of sensationalism around aviation lately,” Homendy said on X. “The fact is our aviation system is the safest in the world and all of us — investigators, regulators, airlines, employees, and manufacturers — are working to make sure it stays that way.”

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Global tourism industry - statistics & facts

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• Basic Statistic Leading hotel companies worldwide 2023, by number of properties
• Premium Statistic Hotel openings worldwide 2021-2024
• Premium Statistic Hotel room openings worldwide 2021-2024
• Premium Statistic Countries with the most hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide 2022

Global hotel and resort industry market size worldwide 2013-2023

Market size of the hotel and resort industry worldwide from 2013 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Most valuable hotel brands worldwide 2023, by brand value

Leading hotel brands based on brand value worldwide in 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leading hotel companies worldwide 2023, by number of properties

Leading hotel companies worldwide as of June 2023, by number of properties

Hotel openings worldwide 2021-2024

Number of hotels opened worldwide from 2021 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2024

Hotel room openings worldwide 2021-2024

Number of hotel rooms opened worldwide from 2021 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2024

Countries with the most hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide 2022

Countries with the highest number of hotel construction projects in the pipeline worldwide as of Q4 2022

• Premium Statistic Airports with the most international air passenger traffic worldwide 2022
• Premium Statistic Market value of selected airlines worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Global passenger rail users forecast 2017-2027
• Premium Statistic Daily ridership of bus rapid transit systems worldwide by region 2023
• Premium Statistic Number of users of car rentals worldwide 2019-2028
• Premium Statistic Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023
• Premium Statistic Carbon footprint of international tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type

Airports with the most international air passenger traffic worldwide 2022

Leading airports for international air passenger traffic in 2022 (in million international passengers)

Market value of selected airlines worldwide 2023

Market value of selected airlines worldwide as of May 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Global passenger rail users forecast 2017-2027

Worldwide number of passenger rail users from 2017 to 2022, with a forecast through 2027 (in billion users)

Daily ridership of bus rapid transit systems worldwide by region 2023

Number of daily passengers using bus rapid transit (BRT) systems as of April 2023, by region

Number of users of car rentals worldwide 2019-2028

Number of users of car rentals worldwide from 2019 to 2028 (in millions)

Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023

Number of users in selected countries in the Car Rentals market in 2023 (in million)

Carbon footprint of international tourism transport worldwide 2005-2030, by type

Transport-related emissions from international tourist arrivals worldwide in 2005 and 2016, with a forecast for 2030, by mode of transport (in million metric tons of carbon dioxide)

Attractions

• Premium Statistic Market size of museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks worldwide 2022-2027
• Premium Statistic Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022
• Basic Statistic Monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list 2023, by type
• Basic Statistic Selected countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2023

Market size of museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks worldwide 2022-2027

Size of the museums, historical sites, zoos, and parks market worldwide in 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Leading museums by highest attendance worldwide 2019-2022

Most visited museums worldwide from 2019 to 2022 (in millions)

Most visited amusement and theme parks worldwide 2019-2022

Leading amusement and theme parks worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by attendance (in millions)

Monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list 2023, by type

Number of monuments on the UNESCO world heritage list as of September 2023, by type

Selected countries with the most Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide 2023

Number of Michelin-starred restaurants in selected countries and territories worldwide as of July 2023

Online travel market

• Premium Statistic Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028
• Premium Statistic Estimated desktop vs. mobile revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads
• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
• Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2020-2022, by revenue CAGR
• Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA

Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028

Online travel market size worldwide from 2017 to 2023, with a forecast until 2028 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Estimated desktop vs. mobile revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2023

Estimated desktop vs. mobile revenue of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide in 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads

Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide in 2022, by aggregated number of downloads (in millions)

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Leading online travel companies worldwide 2020-2022, by revenue CAGR

Revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of leading online travel companies worldwide from 2020 to 2022

Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA

Enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of selected leading online travel companies worldwide in 2022, with a forecast for 2023

Selected trends

• Premium Statistic Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2022
• Premium Statistic Sustainable initiatives travelers would adopt worldwide 2022, by region
• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Airbnb nights and experiences booked worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Technologies global hotels plan to implement in the next three years 2022
• Premium Statistic Hotel technologies global consumers think would improve their future stay 2022

Global travelers who believe in the importance of green travel 2022

Share of travelers that believe sustainable travel is important worldwide in 2022

Sustainable initiatives travelers would adopt worldwide 2022, by region

Main sustainable initiatives travelers are willing to adopt worldwide in 2022, by region

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb nights and experiences booked worldwide 2017-2023

Nights and experiences booked with Airbnb from 2017 to 2023 (in millions)

Technologies global hotels plan to implement in the next three years 2022

Technologies hotels are most likely to implement in the next three years worldwide as of 2022

Hotel technologies global consumers think would improve their future stay 2022

Must-have hotel technologies to create a more amazing stay in the future among travelers worldwide as of 2022

• Premium Statistic Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2019-2028, by segment
• Premium Statistic Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2018-2028
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region
• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2019-2028, by segment

Revenue of the global travel and tourism market from 2019 to 2028, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2018-2028

Revenue share of sales channels of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2018 to 2028

Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Inbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide 2020-2025, by region

Outbound tourism visitor growth worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast until 2025, by region

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