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Airline sales explained: who has the best sales and when

• Flight Hacking
• Airline Insights

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When you’re planning to buy a ticket for a flight, should you wait for a sale? The answer isn’t as obvious as it seems... mostly because airlines can have a creative definition of “sale”.

We’ve been monitoring flight prices for over five years, and we’ve picked up on some useful insight and patterns in that time. Some airlines have sales seemingly at random, while others have them at the same time each year like clockwork.

Sometimes, a sale is a sale in name only. That “featured price” could simply be the highest price the airline thinks it can get you to pay. So, it’s important to know what a good price is for your ticket before you buy, even during a sale.

We’re going to break down when most airlines have sales so you’re prepared next time you plan to book a holiday.

Quick reference

The real deal

Air new zealand, british airways.

• Japan Airlines

Singapore Airlines

Virgin atlantic.

Worth a look 

Alaska Airlines

American airlines, cathay pacific.

• Lufthansa Group

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS)

Southwest airlines.

• Air France/KLM
• Thai Airways

What is an airline sale, anyway?

Just because an airline says they’re having a sale, it doesn’t mean you’re getting a great deal. Equally, if you buy a flight at a random time you could snag a bargain purely by luck.

When you think of a sale, you naturally imagine something the airline brags about with a special home page design and advertising for their “special fares”.

These official sales can be a great time to buy your ticket, but they’re not necessarily the best time. 

Flight prices naturally fluctuate throughout the year according to demand - you can read our article about how flights are priced .

What you need to know is that sometimes the best price on a flight isn’t announced at all - it’s only found in those quietest moments of the year when the airline notices a certain route isn’t getting much interest.

The best way to catch those unannounced deals is to track and regularly check a route you’re interested in. Or, sign up for our deal alerts and we’ll do all that for you so you never miss a true deal.

Do all airlines run sales?

All airlines claim to have sales, but we can say from experience that only some sales are worth paying attention to.

Many airlines advertise sales with prices only marginally better than usual, but you wouldn’t know unless you’re keeping track. Others might have decent discounts but still be way more expensive than their competitors for a comparable flight.

We’ve written this guide to help you separate the wheat from the chaff, using our five years of experience hunting the best flight deals out there.

How our ratings work

• The real deal: These sales are almost always as good as the airline offers. You should mark these dates on your calendar.
• Worth a look: A little hit or miss - it’s worth checking out their sales but you should go in already informed about what a good fare for your destination is.
• Forget it: This airline barely ever does a sale, or when they do the fares are average or even poor.

When : Black Friday

Air New Zealand does not do sales very often, but their reliable Black Friday sale is a doozy.

In the past, they’ve offered flights between London and Los Angeles for only £175 return (on a limited, first-come, first-served basis). 

They will usually also have a “headline” fare, which is an excellent deal, all things considered. 

Their other routes won’t be as special, but if you’re set on flying with them for features like the “Skycouch” then their sale is worth waiting for.

When : British Airways always has a worldwide sale starting on Boxing day and through to the end of January. Then, another toward the end of August that lasts for a month. In recent years they also do a sale during Black Friday at the end of November, with equally good fares. 

Generally, almost all of their long-haul routes will be discounted and as cheap as they will ever go. Some years have been better than others, but buying during their sales is never a bad idea.

For their short-haul flights, you can sometimes find slightly better deals outside of their official sales, but most of the time they’ll be excellent too.

Another nice thing about their sales is that they usually cover a good range of months - it’s not just a few dates here and there that are actually cheap.

When : Etihad sales don’t tend to align with any special events, but they usually crop up every 3-6 months.

If you’re looking for the cheapest routes to Australia (outside of Chinese airlines) this is your best bet. Apart from that, their sales often boast the cheapest non-stop fares to their hub, Abu Dhabi.

Their sales are also worth tracking for routes to the biggest cities across South East Asia: think Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Plus, you can occasionally get a great deal to Sri Lanka.

Japan Airlines (JAL)

When : Japan Airlines sales match British Airways’: December-January, late August and Black Friday.

As they’re part of the same airline alliance as British Airways, JAL also coordinates their sales with them. You can fly with either if you’re going to Tokyo or Osaka, but if you’re planning to go anywhere further afield, then JAL will have you covered. 

From Sapporo, all the way down to the Okinawa Islands, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better deal outside their sale events.

When : Singapore Airlines reliably has a sale on Black Friday. Sometimes they have one around Christmas and in Spring or Summer.

This one is extra sweet as they’re one of the top-2 rated airlines in the world! That doesn’t stop their sale prices from being as good as you’ll see to South East Asia. If you’re planning to go to Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia or Malaysia you should definitely be looking out for their sale.

Their Australian routes are also worth a look. Although other airlines go slightly cheaper on sale, you might prefer their cushier service and connection in Singapore.

When : Virgin Atlantic run their sales at the same time as British Airways: Christmastime to the end of January, in late August and a shorter sale over Black Friday.

The longtime British Airways rival can’t help but keep the rivalry going by running sales at the same time to many of the same destinations.

It’s usually worth checking both to see who’s cheaper, but Virgin Atlantic does have a few unique routes to Havana, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Shanghai. If you’re in northern England their non-stop routes from Manchester to Florida, New York, Barbados and Jamaica should also be on your radar.

Worth a look

When : Aer Lingus’ best sales come mid-November - usually 7-14 days before Black Friday.

This is a good sale for flight deals between Europe & North America, including the Caribbean. As Aer Lingus also has lots of short-haul routes around Europe, you’ll usually see a nice mix of destinations that are often missed by other airlines.

Other than Black Friday, their sales are often underwhelming compared to their usual price fluctuations throughout the year. Best to track the price of the Aer Lingus routes you’re interested in.

When : Alaska Airlines do frequent sales, not only the big yearly sales events like Black Friday but also federal holidays like Labor Day.

Funnily enough, their routes to Alaska aren’t included in their sales as often as their routes to Hawaii and Mexican hot spots like Puerto Vallarta and San Jose del Cabo. 

Definitely worth checking out their sales if you’re on the US west coast, just don’t expect every sale to be as good as their best. They definitely scale their discounts up and down depending on their mood.

When : American Airlines' biggest sales are over Black Friday and in January.

You generally don’t need an official sale to find a deal on an American Airlines flight - their fares do fluctuate a lot, so you’ll find plenty of opportunities if you’re monitoring one of their flights.

It’s worth checking their winter sales out - they usually have at least a few routes with stand-out fares. If you have loyalty points to use, that’s usually the best time to redeem them.

When : Cathay Pacific consistently runs a sale during Black Friday.

Pre-pandemic, we always looked forward to a sale from Cathay, but they’ve not impressed much at all lately. Still, now that travel is returning to normal, it’s worth keeping an eye on them.

Their excellent non-stop service to Hong Kong is often the top pick, but routes across South East Asia and Australia are often included in their sales. 

It’s worth setting up price alerts for their flights because they often do “unannounced” sales at random times during the year.

When : They always do something over Black Friday.

Heading to Helsinki? Finnair’s BF sale is one you should mark on your calendar. For their other routes, don’t assume their sales are offering truly great deals. 

Finnair tends to price their flights in “phases”. They jump between very expensive, average and very cheap for a few months at a time, mostly with no announced sales. You can get very good deals with them to Asia from Europe, but waiting on a sale isn’t the way to do it.

Lufthansa Group (SWISS/Austrian/Brussels Airlines)

When : Historically, we see Lufthansa Group’s best sales most often in early winter (November) and late winter (February).

They usually do a “companion deal” that offers nearly half-price flights when you buy two or more tickets. This isn’t just for economy cabins, it usually applies to premium economy and business class too.

These airlines also do small, sporadic, announced sales to a selection of international destinations during the year. Sometimes they do voucher codes for a flat discount on all their flights. You can find them advertised on their homepage or if you subscribe to their newsletter.

When : They have a “sale” every week, more or less.

Truly the king of flight sales, Ryanair are “having a sale” more often than not. Occasionally, their sales take the form of a “buy one get one free” offer that’s particularly good for partners and families.

They’re more aggressive about reacting to the market demand than any other airline, so they’re one of the few airlines that you can fly cheaper short-notice flights with sometimes. Still, try to book at least two weeks before if you can.

Most of their sales (probably about 75%) are not worth your attention, but they’re worth checking out for the proper blowout fares that they can serve up now and again.

When : You can be confident that there’ll be a SAS sale for Black Friday and another over Christmas. They will generally also do a sale in the spring and a “back to school” sale in late summer.

This is a good sale to look out for - you’ll find much more than deals on flights to Scandinavia. Their route to Tokyo is often one of the highlights of the sale. You’ll also find plenty of deals between all regions of Europe and the USA.

Sale fares do fluctuate between great and just good, so it’s worth having a target price before you click buy. If you’re a member of Jack’s Flight Club, you can look through our old deal alerts to see their best fares. Hint, hint.

When : Southwest advertises some kind of sale every few weeks.

If we were writing this a couple of years ago, we’d be raving about Southwest’s sales. Their headline prices could be so good - sometimes $58 round trip with luggage on domestic flights!

Lately, things have changed for the worse. Their sales are nowhere near as attractive, and we often see great deals on their flights that aren’t part of an official sale.

Still, if you like having free flight changes and tend to pack a lot, they’re going to work out cheaper than the competition most of the time.

When : WestJet has sales over the Black Friday and Christmas holiday periods.

One of the few airlines whose “normal” fares are only somewhat higher than their sale fares. But hey, who doesn’t want to knock an extra 30-50 extra currency units off your ticket. An especially useful sale to look for if you’re interested in flying to Western Canada.

It’s worth noting that WestJet fares often go “unofficially” on sale - definitely one to track through the year.

When : Wizz Air usually participates in big events like Black Friday/Christmas sales and impromptu sales at other times.

We would call their sales “hit-or-miss” - many of their best fares aren’t part of some announced sale. When their sale is good, however, it’s often really good. 

They’ve really been increasing their destination network recently, so you can find amazing fares to Greece or the Canary Islands.

Even outside of sale time, it’s worth checking out their “Wizz Discount Club” membership. Adding it can (but not always) save you more money than it costs. Plus, you’ll get more discounts if you fly with them again in the next year.

Air France KLM Group

When : Very rare special event sales.

KLM & Air France don’t really bother with sales. KLM did have a 100th Anniversary sale a few years ago, but how often are those going to come around? 

We do see them sending promo codes out now and again, usually for a small percentage discount. The problem is the terms and conditions make them only valid for flights that are already too expensive to make it worth it.

On the plus side, their standard prices are on the low end most of the time and don’t fluctuate as much.

All Nippon Airline (ANA)

When : Extremely rare.

It’s a big shame that ANA never seem to do sales because they’re very highly rated. 

Although they advertise “featured fares” now and again, we’ve never seen them be truly competitive. Maybe one day!

When : Almost never. The last big Emirates sale we saw was in November 2018.

That doesn’t mean that you’ll never find deals on Emirates flights, but their announced sales are not special. 

Most of the time they discount only a few routes at a time, seemingly at random. Dubai is the most frequent destination you’ll find deals for.

When : Black Friday is your best bet.

Thailand’s official airline claims to have deals or a sale all the time, but they’re rarely anywhere close to good.

They are getting a bit better with time, thankfully. In the last few years, their Black Friday sale has had some genuinely good deals to Thailand and even to New Zealand with a connection.

Most of the time you’re getting nonsense, however, save yourself the time and inbox space.

When : They do have sales sometimes, but they’re barely worth mentioning.

Transavia, a Dutch low-cost airline, likes to have one price for their flights and then stick to it. 

That price can be a decent deal, so don’t feel bad about booking with them if they seem like the best option. You can be confident that they’re not going to get cheaper after you book.

That's it! We'll keep adding airlines to this list as we discover new patterns and trends. Send us an email if you have any questions or tips that we can add :-)

Tristan is an avid traveller and Chief Flight Hacker at Jack's Flight Club. He's currently waiting on the next great deal to tour Southeast/East Asia. When he isn't on the go he lives in Glasgow, Scotland with his dog.

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Related Articles

8 Tips on How To Increase Sales in a Travel Company

Constantly increasing sales in a tour operating company, especially as travel begins to return, should be the number one priority for any travel business.

The competition is rough and plentiful – and even now, the new tour operators, OTA-s, and travel agencies are popping up as you read this. On the other hand, the ones that survived the crisis are hungry for new revenue and putting a lot of effort into ensuring they get their piece of the cake on the travel rebound market.

We’ve talked to many of our customers going through the same situation and compiled eight tips to keep the customer in focus, increase sales in your travel agency or tour operator business, and build a reputation that will help you book more trips.

“Have we sold anything today?”

Related: 5 Advantages of B2B Online Booking for Tour Operators

1. Highlight the Benefits of Your Product/Service

Instead of trying to compete with your competitors, focus on pointing out the unique benefits of your service . Ask your existing, satisfied customers for a review, highlighting all the positive aspects of their experience with your agency.

Most satisfied customers won’t hesitate to give a testimonial – some might even be glad to. Post it proudly on your company’s website and watch as you attract new potential clients.

Always remember – focus on providing the best experience to your customer! That ensures returning customers and good word of mouth.

2. Engage with Customers on Social Media

Travelers of all age groups use social media networks to talk about travel products, share experiences, or express their preferences.

Use images, videos, questions, or statuses to spark conversation and motivate potential clients to follow you. Listening to their comments and receiving feedback helps you create better-tailored trips and packages and increase travel sales.

3. Upsell Products – Provide an Experience

Suggesting additional products on top of a standard package is the most straightforward method of increasing your revenue per customer. For example, if your customer is going on a city tour of Madrid, offer lunch and dinner options to go along with it.

On the other hand, an observatory tour operator who offers private telescope viewing sessions might offer a glass of wine and tapas before the viewing to make the experience more romantic for a couple who booked it.

Explore and test to find out what your customers want, and use travel agency software to track and manage special offers and complementary products easily to increase sales.

4. Package Travel Components Into Unique Travel Products and Multi-day Tours

Combine different products into a unique travel experience to increase your travel sales. Create multi-day tours and try to offer a better price by selling hotels, flights, and activities together to create a unique experience.

But with many incoming inquiries, the process of creating a package has to be quick and simple. With the help of tour operator software , creating a multi-day tour or a package is completed in just a few steps.

5. Find a Travel Niche Market

One way to be a successful travel company is to establish your business in a niche market . The travel niche doesn’t need to be complicated or rare – but the more unique it is, the better. Niche travel means you are selling something that no one else sells and that your travel product is different in some way.

That can mean you specialize in a particular demographic area, like organizing trips for senior French couples, a type of travel sales – like hiking through the mountains off the beaten path or making trips only for one destination. This type of segmentation is rising in popularity as the competition increases significantly.

6. Introduce Travel Technology to Create Multi-day Tours

The Covid crisis has accelerated the digitalization of the travel industry. It has also affected how travelers book trips and how agencies can sell their products and multi-day tours. You can offer your visitors the option of booking multi-day tours online through the web page.

That way, you don’t have to worry about whether or not your employees are sitting at their desks. Via an online booking system, your customers can book 24/7 because the system receives and processes the reservations automatically. Providing customers with an easy and safe way to book travel arrangements online is an excellent policy to grow your revenue and boost travel sales.

7. Extend Your B2B Network

It is no big news that your business relationship with partners is essential. Business partners help you reach new markets , acquire new customers, get new ideas for further product development, and more. When your work is supported by good travel technology, you can focus on the relationship with your B2B partners, not the administration that comes with it.

But remember that finding a new B2B partner is just the tip of the iceberg, and keeping one requires hard and honest work. Learn how to extend your B2B network easily .

8. Enhance Your Offer by Integrating with GDS Systems

An excellent way to stay ahead of competitors is by offering the best possible prices on a worldwide range of high-quality transfer services, car rentals, tickets for museums and attractions, and excursions.

Travel software makes this simple through XML integration with different hotel systems (third-party systems). Combining other sources into a unique travel experience takes your service to the next level.

Ready to automate your business? See Lemax in action ! 

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10 Strategies For Travel Businesses To Boost Tour Sales Performance

• Sales & Bookings

Every travel company wants to maximize tour sales. Even more so now, where the travel industry has seen a great deal of change and quiet time: finding ways to boost sales performance is critical.

With a tactical approach, it’s possible to set your business up to reach more of your ideal clients. Now more than ever, paying careful attention to the finer details is going to be a priority.

Below, we’ve listed some of the best strategies to help your travel business stand out, get more leads, and drive revenue.

Strategies To Boost Tour Sales Performance

1. point out the unique benefits of your tour.

One of the essential strategies to increase tour sales is to highlight the benefits of the tour clearly. Instead of listing the tour features, paint a picture to show travelers what they can expect to see, feel, and get from the experience.

A good tactic to help achieve this is to include positive reviews and testimonials from existing clients. Happy clients are your biggest advocates. Usually, they are more than willing to write a positive testimonial for your tour.

2. Add A Little Extra Enticement

To really highlight the benefits of your trip, offer extra snippets of information that clients might not typically expect to see in a tour description.

For example, they may not be thinking about where the best places to eat in Tuscany are at this stage of the funnel. But, give them a compelling glimpse of what to expect (al-fresco, organic dining in a grape vineyard overlooking the rolling hills), and this can act to entice their curiosity.

The result--a tour inquiry that can lead to a booking!

3. Find Your Niche In The Industry

To sell more tours, you need to understand your customers. The tourism industry is vast, so it's essential to really get into a niche. This will help you establish a more specific target audience and market your tour to the right people.

Carve out your corner and create a unique product for your business. Your goal should be to sell something that other tour operators aren't selling. Or to find a different angle to your competitors on the product that you sell.

So, find what makes your business unique, shout it to the rooftops, and explain the benefits to your clients. This will help you to really distance your business from competitors.

4. Ask For Client Referrals

Referrals help extend your network and reach, allowing your tours to become more visible to more potential customers. If you can get your clients to refer your tour to their circles, you will get access to a whole new market.

You can simply ask your existing biggest fans for referrals. Another tactic is to incentivize referrals through promotions. For example, you could run a tour giveaway that offers a bonus entry to each referral. This will soon help you to reach a larger audience.

5. Establish Strategic Relationships

If you want to boost tour sales, try selling across several different channels. A great tactic is to establish strategic relationships with vendors, partners, and agents who can market and sell your trips to their clients.

You can establish these types of relationships with local DMOs, tourism boards, local business partners in your community, travel agents, OTAs , etc.

6. Use Technology For Bookings

Offering online bookings is a great way to boost tour sales without much effort. In fact, by not offering online bookings, you are potentially losing out on a great number of sales. People rely on technology more and more every day; self-service transacting and processing reservations online go part and parcel to this!

Importantly, give your clients a streamlined and straightforward online booking using a variety of payment options. WeTravel’s payment and booking management platform is great for this. It is designed especially for travel companies, multi-day, group, and international tour operators, giving them excellent payment processing abilities, beautiful booking pages, and streamlined booking management.

7. Make The Most Of Social Media

Every travel business needs to have a clear content marketing strategy, which includes your social channels. Social media is full of opportunities to promote your tours and increase your sales. Plus, it is where many of your potential clients hang out online.

Engage with people on social media, target the right audience, and post engaging content to reel them and get a conversation going. You never know; it may well lead to making a sale.

You should also encourage social proof. Try to get people posting about the experiences you offer, and make sure to share their posts. User-generated content on social media can help you gain exposure and get more people excited about your offering.

8. Use Online Marketplaces

There are plenty of websites and online marketplaces that sell tours. Loads of people check these to see what activities are on offer in the place they are visiting. So, it can be a good idea to list your products on these platforms. The trick is to find a balance with your direct bookings and not rely too heavily on OTAs that charge hefty commissions.

9. Encourage Customers to Leave Reviews

A significant factor that influences tour sales is trust. Your tour needs to excite customers, but they also need to trust your business before they go ahead with making a booking. Positive reviews and feedback are essential for this.

After your clients finish up your trips, encourage them to leave a review on your preferred platforms . The more positive mentions you have, the greater the number of new clients you can attract.

10. Upsell Other Tour Products

It’s a good idea to boost tour sales by upselling to existing customers . Instead of leaving a booking as it is, see whether there is an opportunity to add other beneficial upsells. This could include things like a room upgrade or add-on activity for your participants.

This strategy works well because you sell to people who already trust your business and want to support it.

Final Thoughts

You can have a great tour to offer, but you still need to sell it . The major challenge for many businesses in the industry is to stand out from their competitors. We hope the ideas above have given you some inspiration to try out.

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Getting to a Million: Top Travel Agents Share Tips for Six-Figure Sales

Travel agents say there’s no magic to making it to the million-dollar mark in annual travel sales. Photo: Shutterstock.com

There’s no magic to making it to the million-dollar mark in annual travel sales. It takes focus and training — and the patience to hang in there, often for four or five years, until your hard work starts to really pay off.

When Travel Market Report asked some Facebook friends how long it took them to sell $1 million worth of travel, they offered up some tips and timelines.

Set goals. After three years in business, Janet Noblett got the best birthday present of all this year: She hit the million-dollar mark on May 10, the day before her birthday. “One of my goals for 2019 was to hit $1 million in sales by my birthday,” she said — and she credited that goal with pushing her to make it happen.

“Goal setting is my number-one priority,” Noblett says. “Without goals, you have nothing to strive for. I set goals each month on how many cruises and how many European vacations I want to sell; every month I set new goals that I want to strive for. Sometimes I reach those goals and other months I will not make it — but that’s OK.”

Working in a big city like New York pushes up your overhead — but also forces you to set goals and work toward them, says Julie Danziger. “Your market has a lot to do with it. The cost of living in a city like New York is high, so that pushes people to strive for higher production.”

Education is key. After three years part-time, it took Chantelle Nugent just two more years full-time to hit the mark. “I really feel that as soon as I took it seriously and invested in my own education, fams and classes, the business followed,” she says.

Be in it to win it. Heather Bannon earned $500,000 in her first year and a little over $1.5 million in the second. “My biggest tip is to have the confidence to invest in bridal shows and events where you know you can recoup your investment. Then I went on as many fams as possible to grow my product knowledge quickly, focusing on brands and areas I wanted to sell. I am replicating an even more accelerated timeline with my sister who joined our agency just over a year ago.”

Find a mentor. “Find as many mentors and advisors that you admire in the business as possible, befriend them quickly and then ruthlessly milk then for hints, information, best learned lessons, and hacks,” Bannon said. “I’ve been lucky to meet a lot of cool people in this industry and many of them are really willing to help you succeed if you ask!”

Choose your clients rather than vice versa.  Sit down and decide how to upgrade your clients, says Linda de Sosa. It takes the same amount of time to sell a cheap cruise as an expensive one.

Mingle where the high rollers go.  Where to find top clients? De Sosa is very involved with charity balls — a great way to meet potential clients. She gets donations from vendors and then works hard on the auction committees. And Susan Rutan credits five years of “constant networking within groups that had affluent travel decision makers, planting seeds everywhere I went for more business and referrals, providing above-and-beyond service, investing in education and travel to learn new destinations, adding great associates to my franchise, setting goals and just plain hard work and determination.”

Consider working for someone else first, so you can start a business with a book of travel in hand.  Melissa Feenstra started selling travel at a brick-and-mortar agency 15 years ago, so when she launched Feenstra Travel, she already was selling six figures’ worth of travel. Just 18 months later, her annual sales topped $1.3 million. “My average sale is maybe $4,500, but I do get those $60,000 A&K Africa trips and $30,000 Regent cruises from time to time,” she said.

Build a team. Tricia Horick Kelly credits her team of eight ICs with helping her hit $1 million in just three years. “I’m hoping to hire more, but my little agency of eight is mighty and we have a great relationship with each other,” she said. “I try to get everyone together quarterly, and to mentor rather than manage. And I’ve seen everyone’s sales double and then some.”

Charles Russell also credits his support staff with helping him reach his first $1 million in gross sales in just over four years. He used “a mix of destination immersion, business-to-business networking, peer networking, and constantly working to broaden my knowledge and experience. Today, I have five ICs and an admin assistant to keep the process moving forward. I project my business will be crossing into multimillion gross sales within the next 12-18 months, as I continue to see a significant year-over-year growth pattern.”

Estelle Wilkinson also got to $1 million in four years. Two years later, she has six independent contractors helping to build her volume.

Never take your eye off the customer. In addition to the training, the networking and the joining, in the end, success comes down to delivering great customer service. For Limor Decter, the “networking, educating myself on product, watching webinars, attending trade shows around the world, attending fams, and building relationships with suppliers gave me confidence to build a client business where each client gets my prompt personalized service.

“The clients hear my passion, confidence and excitement — and they know that I am accessible from the minute they start their trip planning until they get home. I invested a great deal of my time connecting with my clients so that I am able to design a seamless trip that exceeds their expectation, regardless of budget. I believe your name is your virtue and I strive to maintain a great name on the supplier side and on the client side, since both need to sync in order to succeed.”

Love is what you need. It took Pat Graham and her husband eight years, four part-time and four full-time, to build their product knowledge and put together the group programs that now lead to more than $1 million in sales each year. “Be passionate about travel,” she says. “My husband and I work as a team, each having our specialties. You have to have a good support system and team. You have to put in the time, be available to your clients, never stop learning — and love what you do.”

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The top eight sales skills you need in your travel business in 2021

There are a variety of traits that successful salespeople possess. Here are eight top sales skills that sales training courses teach that can help you find success.

The travel industry is starting to regain a foothold, and competition for customers is fierce. As businesses race to get back solid financial footing, developing sales skills is perhaps more crucial than ever.

Relationship building Strong customer relationships can transform your bottom line and business. For instance, powerful bonds between customers can help reduce churn. A 5% increase in customer retention can increase profits by up to 95% according to Bain & Company.

To strengthen customer relationships, make building rapport a priority. For example, when you meet a prospect, don’t rush to pitch your product. Instead, take the time to find points of commonality, and to learn about your customer’s interests and pain points.

Emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and use emotions positively. This trait is sometimes called EI or EQ. Developing EI is critical to the buying process.

Most buyers want to trust and feel safe with the business they engage with. EI helps salespeople accurately tune into any customer fears and worries. In turn, that insight can help businesses build trust. Increasing feelings of trust can help lower sales objections and resistance.

Strategic prospecting Strategic prospecting is vital for the long-term success of your business. This skill helps you identify sales opportunities that best fit your customer profile. Selling to prospects who are more likely to buy can shorten sales cycles. Shorter sales cycles increase close rates, which can boost sales.

Training your sales team to prospect strategically is also important as it keeps your pipeline healthy. Studies show that most companies lose up to 20% of their customers each year. A healthy pipeline means you always have a pool of prospects. What’s more, those potential customers are easier to convert into buyers.

Social selling  For any travel business to succeed, it needs customers. Today, most potential customers are permanently online and connected. Social media has, therefore, become an excellent tool to reach your target audience. According to OptinMonster, social sellers are 51% more likely to achieve sales quotas.

Social selling skills can help you navigate and use social media effectively. This skill helps you understand how to nurture relationships online. When done right, you can generate higher-quality leads. Also, interacting with potential customers online boosts your brand visibility.

Active listening A key aspect of selling is talking. However, top sales trainers say that selling requires a delicate balance between talking and listening. In fact, active listening is one of the most underrated skills in the salesperson’s toolkit.

Strong listening skills help you uncover your customer’s true needs. You can satisfy your customer’s needs better when you know their actual pain points. Customers who are listened to also feel respected and valued. In turn, those customers are more likely to spend more and refer others.

Negotiation Negotiation and sales go hand in hand.  Hesitant and indecisive buyers can be frustrating. However, with the right skill, you may still be able to carve out a win. When prospects appear to be wavering, negotiation skills can be the difference between closing the deal or walking away with empty hands.

Salespeople trained in the best negotiation skills, such as those of Shapiro Negotiations Consultant , know how to deliver quality win-win solutions. They can identify their customers’ needs better, which puts them in a stronger position to offer better services. By improving the buying experience, you may be able to attract and retain more customers.

Product knowledge Potential customers are more likely to trust you if you’re confident and knowledgeable. One of the most effective ways to radiate confidence is with knowledge of your product or service.

Improving your product knowledge is something you can do easily. Spend time reading, learning, and training yourself. Also, keep up with trends that impact the travel industry . A great way to stay informed is by attending industry trade shows. You can also subscribe to top travel newsletters and social media accounts.

Resilience For every sales win, there are plenty of losses. So, regardless of how much training you’ve had, it pays to build resilience.

A big part of building resilience comes down to mindset. For example, when you lose a sale, use it as a learning experience. Also, work on being more mindful so that you can put the event in perspective. The faster you can move on, the quicker you can secure other opportunities.

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How to Win Travel Clients with These 7 Guaranteed Sales Strategies

I struggled to decide if I was going to tackle the topic of sales today or not. Why? Because in the world of content marketing, rule number one is to give your audience what they want.

And… most travel advisors believe themselves to be great sellers. It’s the one constant in my consultation calls. Agents will say…I don’t have an issue with selling. I KNOW how to sell. What I struggle with is getting leads. 

A concept I know to be true is that the most successful businesses sell their audience what they want but give them what they need. 

And in reality…judging from listening between the lines, and hearing about the challenges my clients face, many of them struggle with the sales process but don’t even realize it. They THINK they have it down when in reality, they are missing some critical pieces that are getting in the way of them converting at a much higher level.

1. Have a strong CTA – Call to action

Duh, you are probably thinking as you read that headline but hear me out. So many agents don’t even recognize that they are doing this. And I mean….so many. They’ll do all the work of putting the quote together. It can take them days. They tweak it this way. They add an extra piece here and then a bonus feature there. By the end of all the nipping and tucking, they sit back, have a look at their creation and think…Damn girlfriend…that looks good!

They send it out. 

And then sit back and wait.  And wait……and wait.

I have to assume the thought process is the quote is just so good, it should stand on its own. As in Drop the Mic. Or at best, they’ll finish the quote with a sign-off that goes something like this…

“If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. I look forward to working with you.”

“Here is your quote. Let me know what you think.”  😳

”I look forward to working with you?” A bit redundant. Ummm..I sure hope so. Have you seen me? I’m amazing. Of course, you’d want to work with me. Never mind the fact that that is the only way you’ll get paid so to say you are looking forward to it…Gotcha Captain Obvious.

But I’m not shitting you..that’s how so many agents sign off on their quotes. Many never bother to follow up again. Not all…Lots of advisors…especially successful advisors understand the importance of following up but this thought piece isn’t about the follow-up process.

2. Use video instead of email to deliver the quote

What do most new clients do when they receive a quote from you? This might be a bit of a mind blow. And it may even hurt.

But here it is. NO matter how much your client likes you…they are taking the quote and they are going to pick it apart and shop it around. It’s human nature. If it’s their first time working with you, they won’t be able to help themselves from taking a quick peek at Expedia or some other OTA (Online Travel Agent). 

Once you’ve established a relationship and have a repeat client, they are more likely to trust you but a first-time client…forgetaboutit.

Sending an email is way too passive.  So what should you do instead?

Video. Start using video. It’s such a great way to present the quote. I’ve spoken about using Loom before. Some things are worth repeating. Loom is a free tool. Loom allows you to record your screen along with a little cut-away image of you in the corner – like those YouTube tutorial videos I’m sure you’ve watched.

We’ve known for years that the world is moving towards video. But this past year was a game-changer in terms of how we will deal with our clients from here on in. 

80-year-old grammas, who had never used a computer before suddenly feel completely at home with Facetime. They had no other choice. Video is the new preferred mode of communication in the travel industry.

The secondary benefit of presenting the quote over video is that you can record the call and then rewatch it later. This allows you to pick up tips on how you could have been more effective. Not to mention that you can pick up cues from the client that you may have missed the first time.

3. Highlight to them how you’ve addressed each of their needs

In your initial discovery call, you’ll have teased out all the things that your clients want out of their vacation. You’ll know the style of hotel they prefer. You’ll be reminded of the fact that Gertrude struggles to walk for long periods and that Fred, loves to learn new things while on holiday. He even has a garden filled with medicinal plants that he tends to.

So when you walk your client through the proposal…Don’t assume that they’ll notice all the attention you’ve given to these points.

You’ll want to spell it out.

Say things like….

On day 2, I’ve added a city tour of the old quarter of Beijing. It’s fantastic because you’ll be seeing the Hutongs by rickshaw. Gertrude, this allows you to see the ancient section and how it may have looked when it was Peking. There won’t be a lot of walking required that day.  

And Fred, on Day 5, you’ll notice I’ve added a stop at an apothecary shop in the heart of the city of Xian. The shop owner is world-renowned for his ability to heal through herbs. I thought this is right up your alley given your love of horticulture.

Sure, you can hope that Fred and Gertrude will have read your proposal from cover to cover but I’m tellin’ ya…Even when the proposal has been customized specifically, clients hardly have the patience to read documents. 

4. Use the Mirror, mirror on the wall approach

Is it just me or does every social media post from a scorned relationship talk about their narcissistic ex and offer up tips and tricks to spot a narcissist in the future. Just me? 😳 Anyhoo…

 I chuckled only because…aren’t we all part narcissist? I mean really? Okay..maybe not the Dalai Lama but the rest of us…?

That’s why we are told to write sales copy that speaks to our readers. We run ads with the intent to write with the WIIFM (What’s in it for Me) context in mind.

A great salesperson understands the fine art of mirroring because they know that people gravitate to those who are most like them. This means…

• If they speak slowly – you speak slowly. If they have a quiet tone, don’t freak them out by shouting despite how excited you are.
• If they use phrases like…THAT SOUNDS FRIGGIN’ AWESOME!!! Then you bring out your inner teenager and you rephrase your response using similar words….”I KNOW RIGHT?!?”
• While you’ll want to be careful of full-on parroting, (a little bit goes a long way) repeat back the words they use. 

For example, your client might say…

”Carol and I are really looking for the type of vacation where we can decompress. We have so much going on in our normal lives…we just want to unplug.”

Jot down those words. And then work them into your script when you go through the itinerary with them. It would sound something like this. 

“Brian, you’ll notice that I’ve built in quite a bit of leisure time so that the two of you can decompress and unplug. I understand how stressful your regular routine can be.”

5. Sell the hole, not the drill

In other words, sell the outcome and benefits and not the features. Booking a hotel that is rated 5-star and includes complimentary butler service is a feature. It’s the drill. 

What is better is if you sell the feeling of not having to worry about packing and unpacking the suitcase. Talk about how stress-free it will be to have everything taken care of. Remind Brian and Carol that the benefit of complimentary butler service is that they can just sit back, and let someone else handle the worries.

6. Paint a picture in words

A great salesperson understands the importance of building their vocabulary. I learned this early on from the industry icon, Paul Goldstein . This man is legendary. At the time, his specialty was selling game drives in Africa. Paul was also the owner of a tented camp in Kenya’s Masai Mara and a camera lens almost as large as the game park itself. 

He had a talent for using words so delicious that you could almost feel the grass touching your cheek as you crouched down in the savanna completely still, watching a mother lion clean her cub with the lick of her sandpaper tongue. 

This is how Paul describes a recent trip he took to the Arctic Ocean. Tell me this doesn’t make you want to hand over your black Amex. 

7. Anticipate objections and meet them head-on

Objections in the sales transaction are part of the process. I’ve written an entire article on how to overcome the top 5 most common objections we face when selling travel, so I won’t repeat myself. But I will reiterate, don’t be afraid of objections. Objections are indications that the client is interested. The more objections, the more interested they are, so take them as a good sign.

A great salesperson anticipates objections and addresses them early on in the process. There is nothing to hide from. Most clients appreciate transparency. It helps foster trust.

Working these 7 tactics into any sales presentation will lead to a much higher conversion rate.

Let me ask, if you had to add an 8th tactic, what would it be? Please don’t be shy and leave it in the comment section below. 

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How about adding something personal, as far as why the clients need to book with me specifically? For example : I lived or worked or traveled multiple times to that particular spot, or the experience I had in the same place…something to say that I am the best qualified to work for you?

I think that’s great, Tanya. Clients will always tend to trust someone who’s been before and trust is probably the biggest contributor to booking. 👍

“Sell the hole, not the drill” I have never heard it put that way. Brilliant!! Now, l may be living under a rock in that said hole……but there is hope for me in selling my way out of it!

And I guess in your case, it’s like selling the feeling of family and making memories as opposed to selling the wallpaper and the hardwood floors. Sales strategies are transferrable across all professions.

This my go right along with the CTA but asking for the sale goes a long way. As in “I’ve held this option for you until Friday, we require a deposit of $XX in order to confirm your spot.” I was always surprised as to how many people responded to that with, “ok, I’ll call you with my credit card”. Love the video tip, by the way!

Great point, Cynthia. I missed adding a sense of urgency. Oh so important. Thanks for that!

I’ve said it before and I’m probably starting to sound like a broken record (How about that throwback to the good ‘ole days?) but this is your best article yet. SO much good info here that applies to many other sales positions outside the travel industry. Keep it coming, Diane! This is gold.

I think you are making me blush. Which…isn’t too hard to do. But thank you, Rick. 😊

The video tip is a great one. I started using video for not only sales calls but mini promotions – trips, itineraries, and me – during the pandemic and it has worked wonders.

I like the general suggestion of being comfortable with your knowledge and don’t be afraid to promote it and yourself

I’ve seen the video work you do. Your footage is amazing!

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Online travel market - statistics & facts

How big is the online travel market, what are the leading online travel agencies (otas), what travel products do consumers book online, key insights.

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Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028

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• Premium Statistic Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2011-2024
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Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2011-2024

Market size of the tourism sector worldwide from 2011 to 2023, with a forecast for 2024 (in trillion U.S. dollars)

Travel and tourism revenue worldwide 2020-2029, by segment

Revenue of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2020 to 2029, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue share of sales channels of the travel and tourism market worldwide from 2019 to 2029

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

Revenue of the travel apps industry worldwide 2017-2027

Revenue of the travel apps market worldwide from 2017 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Estimated EV/Revenue ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to revenue (EV/Revenue) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Estimated EV/EBITDA ratio in the online travel market 2024, by segment

Estimated enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Online bookings

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Travel product online bookings in the U.S. 2024

Travel product online bookings in the U.S. as of June 2024

Travel product online bookings in Canada 2024

Travel product online bookings in Canada as of June 2024

Travel product online bookings in the UK 2024

Travel product online bookings in the UK as of June 2024

Travel product online bookings in China 2024

Travel product online bookings in China as of June 2024

Travel product online bookings in India 2024

Travel product online bookings in India as of June 2024

Importance to book a trip fully online among travelers worldwide 2023, by generation

Share of travelers who think it is important to be able to book their trip entirely online worldwide as of July 2023, by generation

Market leaders

• Premium Statistic Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023
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Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023, by revenue (in million U.S. dollars)

Marketing expenses of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Marketing expenses of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Marketing/revenue ratio of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2023

Marketing to revenue ratio of leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023

Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2023

Number of employees at selected leading travel companies worldwide in 2023

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

Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023

Number of aggregated downloads of selected leading online travel agency apps worldwide in 2023 (in millions)

Most visited travel and tourism websites worldwide as of April 2024 (in million visits)

Booking Holdings

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Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Expedia Group

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Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2017 to 2023, by business model (in million U.S. dollars)

Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

• Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
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Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

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

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Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2019 to 2023, by region (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Net income of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Trip.com Group

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Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023

Total revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. in China from 2013 to 2023 (in billion yuan)

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Revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2013 to 2023, by product (in million yuan)

Revenue of Trip.com 2017-2023, by region

Revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2017 to 2023, by region (in million yuan)

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Net profit of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2013 to 2023 (in million yuan)

Tripadvisor

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Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2017-2023, by business segment

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2017 to 2023, by business segment (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2012 to 2023, by region (in million U.S. dollars)

Operating income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Operating income of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

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The Effective Travel Agent Sales Pitch: Tips, Techniques, and Closing Strategies for Success

Jan 25, 2024 | Grow a travel business , Sales

Do you find sales uncomfortable? Or perhaps you struggle with converting leads? Read on to learn our most effective travel agent sales pitch examples and strategies so you can make the entire process easier and FUN!

Originally published January 2021; updated January 2024

Sales.  It’s a part of being a travel agent that doesn't necessarily get talked about that much, but everybody has to do it, and doing it right – or wrong – can make a huge difference in your career.

For most travel agents – especially those just starting out – the way you learn how to make sales is good old trial and error. You do this, you do that, this works, that doesn’t…  It takes a lot of time and energy to make all the mistakes before you start to figure out what works for you.

Wouldn’t it be helpful if you could skip this process?  Wouldn’t it be great to have all the best, most effective sales tips and techniques that are created from years of experience at your fingertips on your first day as a travel agent?

Or if you’ve been a travel agent for six months, or a year, or three years already…  Wouldn't it be great to up your sales game and get more confident when it’s time to close the deal?

This is why we’re sharing some valuable insights on successful sales pitches for travel agents. Sales is one of our favorite topics, and we believe it's a superpower that can be harnessed to grow your travel business.

Rather watch than read? Check out the video below!

Take a Consultative Approach to the Sales Pitch

Firstly, we need to shift your mindset around sales and think of it more as a consultative process versus a one-and-done pitch. The goal is to really understand your client's needs so you can match them with the right solution. Good sales strategies involve a supportive approach, active listening, and effective matching.

A Solid Sales Approach for Travel Agents

We’re going to assume that you've already qualified your clients and have confirmed their needs match what you can offer. Now, let’s dive into our favorite key components that will take your sales approach up a notch.

Ditch Sending an Email-Only Quote

One major mistake is only emailing the quote to a new client. This approach allows clients to shop around and might not effectively communicate the value you're providing. Instead, consider an alternative like conducting a video presentation.

This allows you to be ‘face to face’ with your potential client and address any concerns they may have right away.

Pro tip: Run through your proposal once or twice before jumping on your call. This will make you more comfortable so you can deliver with confidence.

Illustrate How You Meet Your Client Needs

During your proposal presentation, make sure you emphasize how you've met specific client needs that were discussed during the consultation call. Whether it's a child with autism needing a kid’s club or a couple wanting sunset views, make sure you call out the requests they’ve made. This shows that you not only listen but also follow through on delivering what they request.

Learn the Art of Mirroring

Mirroring is when you intentionally match the pace and tone of your client's communication. This strategy builds rapport and makes clients more comfortable.

Paint a Vivid Picture

Invite your clients into a story. Instead of a generic presentation, describe the experience with intricate details so they feel like they’re actually experiencing what you describe.

See Objections as Opportunities to Address Concerns

Don't fear objections; see them as opportunities. Prior to your presentation, run through the possible objections that may arise and practice how you will respond. You can also address them proactively while you’re going through the presentation. The goal is to show your commitment to meeting their needs and addressing their concerns.

Find Your Preferred Closing Technique

There are five popular closing techniques that you can test out – assumptive, choice, suggestion, and urgency closes. Explore the components of each one, experiment with using them and determine which one works best for you, and your clients.

Increase Ticket Price Strategically

To maximize revenue, consider adding insurance to every quote. Show clients an option slightly above their budget and include add-ons like rental cars, tours, or concierge services.

Make the Sales Process Easier

If you're looking to enhance your sales skills, consider applying for our Careers on Vacation Mastermind. We cover not only sales but also marketing, automation, and expert positioning to make your travel agency thrive.

Who doesn’t want to make the sales process easier and more fun? Here are four tips for making sales work for you:

• Qualify clients effectively.
• Adopt a consultative approach.
• Consider charging planning fees.
• Position yourself as an expert to build trust.

Closing sales is an art, and with the right techniques, you can turn potential opportunities into successful bookings. Remember, it's about creating a win-win situation for both you and your clients. Happy selling!

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Trying to boost corporate travel sales? Five questions for airline executives

For airlines, the corporate travel segment is a critical engine of value. Business travelers tend to fly in premium cabins, book more flexible tickets, and buy closer to departure—which all translate to higher yields. Despite making up only about 12 percent of air traffic before the COVID-19 pandemic, corporate trips  accounted for about half of the airline sector’s profitability in the United States.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Riccardo Boin , Jaap Bouwer, Danielle Bozarth, Vik Krishnan , Prashanth Kuchibhotla, Arthur Loubeau, and Caroline Tufft, representing views from McKinsey’s Travel, Logistics & Infrastructure Practice.

However, the pandemic wiped out the majority of business trips in 2020 and 2021. While opinions vary on the speed of recovery, the consensus is that business travel will rebound more slowly  than trips taken for leisure or to visit friends and relatives. Many expect that a portion of corporate travel may never return, making competition in this highly profitable segment even more intense.

Naturally, airline executives are eager to accelerate the recovery of the business travel segment. But before slashing prices or offering steep corporate discounts, decision makers should be aware of five pitfalls in business travel sales models, lest they lose even more value for their airlines. In fact, it may be time to put away the old playbook, since many carriers’ corporate sales operations were suboptimal even before the pandemic.

This article poses five questions airline executives can ask themselves to avoid missteps. If an executive answers “yes” or “I don’t know” to one or more of them, they may want to reconsider their approach to corporate travel sales. It’s not too late for course correction; there are steps decision makers can take to optimize airlines’ sales strategies.

Do your corporate deals dilute value for your airline?

Despite its importance to profitability, corporate sales at many airlines is a “black box,” managed more as an art than a science. Commercial executives often don’t have the data and insights to know if, say, a particular corporate arrangement with a customer truly adds to the bottom line or is priced too high or too low. We’ve observed commercial executives offer extensive corporate deals with discounts on fares that are already competitively priced, eroding the airline’s margins.

A better way: Create a data-driven cockpit that provides visibility

What’s needed, and what top-performing B2B sales organizations have, is a data-driven cockpit, drawing from internal and external data sources to provide the necessary visibility for commercial staff to make the right decisions and to track the impact of chosen actions.

It starts with developing a comprehensive data repository that consists of the components of different deals and corporate arrangements, as well as the airline’s market share vis-à-vis its competitors. It includes data on volume and revenue by account, by travel pattern, by point of sale, by commercial structure offered, by origin and destination, and by time. The data could be analyzed to measure the airline’s performance against other competitors as well as the general market.

There are a number of data sources available commercially that enable users to track performance. The commercial team could use that data to ensure that the structure of the corporate agreements they sign generates incremental value, where revenues generated from the deal would be greater than the discounts given. Data analysis could also help executives identify potential growth areas and opportunities to increase the airline’s market share.

Just as important, having a data-driven cockpit makes it easier to assess the overall effectiveness of corporate deals and agreements. Did a tweak made to the discount structure truly expand an airline’s market share, or was growth due to other factors? Where can an airline reduce discounts, preserve most of its share, and sell the freed-up seats to higher-value customers?

A data-driven cockpit will likely have the answers.

Are you overrelying on discounts?

We’re all familiar with the basic economic principle that underlies all discounts: when price falls, demand rises. Most airlines have a discount structure that their sales staff can reference to incentivize ticket purchases.

But there are dangers in relying mostly on discounts to drive up sales. First, some carriers apply the same discount uniformly to all customers with only minimal variations based on factors such as the size of the corporate account. But in a segment as competitive as corporate travel, the indiscriminate application of discounts can shave already thin margins. Second, discounts are no guarantee of brand loyalty. Customer commitments to discounted plans are often vague. Even when a concrete agreement is made, enforcement is often lacking. Thus, airlines assume material risk when they offer discounts—if the customer fails to buy the requisite volume of tickets, the eventual revenue flow would be diluted.

A better way: Tailor discounts and benefits according to each corporate account’s travel patterns

While discounts can be a powerful way to sell flights, other elements in the travel journey—such as lounge access, priority boarding, and elite status—may also factor into a corporate customer’s purchase decision. Airlines may protect their margins by tailoring the right mix of both discounts and other perks for each corporate client according to their specific travel needs and patterns.

Airlines may protect their margins by tailoring the right mix of both discounts and other perks for each corporate client according to their specific travel needs and patterns.

Consider two common client profiles: the first is a small corporate client with a tight travel budget and whose employees tend to travel in high volumes on a small number of flight routes. Such companies generally value discounts more than other soft benefits and priority services. An airline could potentially benefit more, then, by offering steeper discounts to this type of company, rather than to a larger corporate customer, especially if the former is able to steer more business travel traffic to a less popular route. When offering discounts, the carrier could require these corporate clients to buy from the carrier a stipulated percentage of their total air travel budget or share of wallet. That way, the carrier could continually track clients’ buying patterns and encourage them to honor their purchase commitments if they fall behind.

Next, consider a large company that prioritizes factors such as premium offerings over ticket price. In such cases, the airlines may rely less on discounts and cheap fares, choosing instead to offer other perks such as seat upgrades, lounge access, and priority service. Service-sector companies whose employees travel frequently to meet clients often prize priority service when rebookings have to be made because of delays or cancellations.

Delivering on the right mix of discounts and other benefits will require multiple departments to invest in the infrastructure needed to support these value-added services in a coordinated way, as we explain when addressing the fifth pitfall.

Do your sales representatives spend most of their time creating their own market and customer insight reports?

Even the best corporate packages fall short if customers are unaware of them. In our experience, direct customer engagement is woefully low at many airlines, with sales staff frequently spending more than half their working hours away from their customers. Instead, many sales executives spend much of their time stuck in a quagmire of user-unfriendly data, trying to extract useful insights instead of interacting directly with customers. This imbalance often stems from inadequate investment in the airline’s technology stack and a lack of centralized support for customer-facing sales staff.

A better way: Equip sales staff with what they need to drive effective customer interactions

Most carriers know that the art of cultivating client relationships is best rooted in data-driven analyses, yet very few of them empower their sales team with the tools they need to drive truly data-driven conversations. These leading airlines have a dedicated central team responsible for the analysis and insights, which are then communicated to the sales teams.

This process starts with the central team categorizing accounts based on the value each account brings to the airline—ideally with help from the aforementioned data repository—and then providing the segmentation to the sales staff through a “single source of truth.” Accounts could be prioritized based on the Quality of Service Index gap (the difference between the actual market share achieved and the “fair” or expected share based on the network quality) and expected volume. The team also equips customer-facing sales staff with standard performance analyses for their regular customer check-ins and prepares them with data on the most promising opportunities.

In our experience, this system frees up commercial executives to spend between 60 and 75 percent of their time doing what they do best—customer interaction.

Are star employees looking elsewhere for better growth and career opportunities?

Sales staff are core to corporate sales success, yet we’ve noticed that many airlines follow a generic approach to their staff. Generalists are hired, their accounts span segments (leisure, online travel agencies [OTAs], travel management companies [TMCs], corporates), compensation is not performance-based, and incentives are poorly designed or nonexistent. Training programs are not tailored to cultivate the specific skills that corporate sales staff need, and regular feedback and strengths-based evaluation sessions are often not set up in a structured way.

The risks of neglecting talent retention are higher now than before the pandemic. Nearly a quarter of the employers in a recent McKinsey survey  reported that they have more low-performing employees now than a year ago. Voluntary attrition is rising, and about 40 percent of employees are planning to leave their current jobs within the next three to six months. Employers that don’t give their top-performing sales staff compelling reasons to stay will likely see them leave.

A better way: Treat your sales staff as customers too

Wise employers understand that employees who feel a sense of belonging and feel valued are not only less likely to leave but also more invested in growing within the company. Compassionate employers are keenly aware that the pandemic has placed undue strain on their employees and proactively address these challenges and provide support where they can.

High-performing companies understand  what type of skills correlate with superior sales performance and use this insight to build their sales force. They know the importance of a separate group of corporate specialists who understand the training needs of their sales team and cultivate the needed capabilities further through specific training programs. The relationship between senior, more experienced leaders and relatively junior staff is mentor-like, with ample on-the-job coaching and frequent feedback. Compensation is tied to performance assessments based on clear metrics that track incremental share without dilution. Staff get regular updates on how they’re tracking and are clear (and ideally, excited) about their career paths within the airline.

Do you treat corporate travel as a pure sales play?

While simplistic, it’s not wrong to say that many airlines view corporate sales as an activity best pursued exclusively by experienced sales professionals scattered across key markets. Such carriers’ organizational structures tend to be siloed, with different functions across the corporate value chain—such as network, customer experience, revenue management, marketing, distribution, and sales—operating independently with minimal consultation and coordination from across the company.

The corporate sales function is very often further siloed, exacerbating the situation for many carriers. Corporate sales usually happen through three channels: TMCs, direct channels (on the airline’s main booking path or a corporate small and medium-size enterprise portal), and indirect channels like OTAs and offline agents. Airlines often have separate teams dealing with each channel: one team manages direct corporate accounts booked via TMCs, one deals with TMCs and noncontracted corporates, while another sales team works with OTAs and other agents. The direct channel is managed by an e-commerce team that usually resides in a different department.

Without alignment from all the departments, trade-offs are bound to arise when any single unit chooses to implement a new initiative. This includes optimization efforts— such as revenue management, network management, or customer experience—undertaken by nonsales units. Sales, while an important function, is the last link in the end-to-end corporate value chain and is often adversely affected by decisions made by other units.

One example of a lack of alignment between departments is when an airline’s distribution team implemented surcharges on bookings made through global distribution services (GDS), which are typically used by OTAs and corporate clients. The distribution team made the move in an effort to send leisure travelers to the airline’s platform. But it put the airline at risk of lost revenue from cost-sensitive corporate customers.

Another example is when one airline’s customer experience unit decided to strictly enforce its one-cabin-bag allowance and charge €60 for each additional piece of baggage. While this was in line with the department’s goal of maximizing ancillary fees, it probably dampened total revenues.

A better way: Break down the silos and coordinate the airline’s value proposition across all departments

To be effective, someone (or a group) within the airline has to own the corporate value proposition across silos. This effort starts with developing a clear understanding of each department’s goals and making any trade-offs clear. Many high-performing airlines create an independent group that coordinates across silos, ensuring that team initiatives and goals don’t conflict (exhibit).

Feedback loops among these departments could ensure that corporate agreements are optimized and are beneficial for nonsales teams too. Frequently the sales team has detailed insights into the travel needs of their corporate clients, as well as honest feedback from them on the airline’s service and product quality. Yet these insights are not often used to develop the airline’s network, product, pricing, and loyalty program. Deeper integration across all departments that tend to operate in silos will facilitate the information flow necessary to improve the airline’s holistic performance.

Corporate sales have been, and will continue to be, critical to airline profitability. However, the function is far from optimized at many carriers. By avoiding the pitfalls mentioned here and by making changes now, airlines can set themselves up to capture more of this critical segment.

Riccardo Boin is a partner in McKinsey’s Milan office; Jaap Bouwer is a senior knowledge expert in the Amsterdam office; Danielle Bozarth is a senior partner in the New York office; Vik Krishnan is a partner in the Bay Area office; Prashanth Kuchibhotla is a knowledge expert in the London office, where Caroline Tufft is a senior partner; and Arthur Loubeau is a consultant in the Dallas office.

This article was edited by Jason Li, a senior editor in the Shanghai office.

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Best Rear Bath Travel Trailer RVs of 2025

• Length: 21’5”
• Dry Weight: 3,013 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 1,387 pounds
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4

The small and mighty Keystone Coleman 17R has everything you need for an adventurous getaway. Keystone has taken over production of the Coleman RV Brand for the 2025 model year and redesigned these popular lightweight campers by adding a propane furnace, extending the ceiling height, and revising the cabinetry for more efficient storage. 

This small camper with a bathroom has an open floor plan, including a queen-sized bed and a dinette, which is well-suited for a small family or a couple’s first camper. The rear bathroom offers two large cabinets to store toiletries, towels, and more!

Forest River Campsite Reserve 25MW

• Length: 29’8”
• Dry Weight: 7,765 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 1,757 pounds

The Campsite Reserve 25MW is fully loaded with features that will make you the envy of the campground, including a king-sized bed, an outdoor kitchen, an entertainment center with hidden shelves, and the largest windows in its class.

The rear bathroom has a sink and ample cabinet space. A skylight over the shower and a mirrored medicine cabinet makes it feel even brighter and more spacious. Plus, this rear bath travel trailer is equipped with a 100-watt solar panel and a 30-amp charge controller—one reason the Campsite Reserve brand made our list of the best travel trailers with solar panels.

Keystone Bullet Crossfire 1890RB

• Length: 22’11”
• Dry Weight: 4,860 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 1,640 pounds

With a dinette slide-out and a Murphy bed system, the Bullet Crossfire 1890RB utilizes every inch of this small travel trailer with a bathroom. The rear bath features a large countertop and ample lighting with a window, roof vent, and skylight above the shower, making freshening up after a day on the trails much more enjoyable and easier!

This Keystone RV is packed with features for a lightweight camper under 23 feet. It includes an outdoor kitchen with a Capital griddle, a flip-up countertop for easier meal prep, a convertible dinette for added sleeping space, and much more.

East to West Silver Lake 1600RBLE

• Length: 21’3”
• Dry Weight: 3,818 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 1,062 pounds

The Silver Lake 1600RBLE has an outdoor shower and a spacious interior shower. With its open floor plan and ample cabinets and storage, this RV is ideal for a couple or small family. The full-width rear bath has a sizeable shower, a plastic RV toilet, and a mirrored vanity with storage for your toiletries.

Clothing storage can be a challenge in other small RVs with bathrooms, but not in this Silver Lake camper, as it includes a large linen closet with hanging storage in the bathroom and a wardrobe on the campside of the Murphy bed.

Jayco Jay Feather 25RB

• Length: 30’1”
• Dry Weight: 6,150 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 1,350 pounds
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 6

Who says you can’t clean up well in the great outdoors? The rear bathroom of the Jay Feather 25RB will make you feel right at home with ample cabinet storage for toiletries and towels and multiple electrical outlets, ideal for charging electric toothbrushes, blowdrying your hair, and trimming up the beard. 

This lightweight travel trailer is full of amenities and has a bright and welcoming feel with its light colors and open floor plan! Jayco also offers RVers some enticing options for upgrading this rear bath camper, such as a Mega Lounge in place of the sofa and dinette, theater seating instead of the sofa, or a king-sized bed instead of the standard queen.

Heartland Mallard M260

Specs 

• Length: 30’8.5″
• Dry Weight: 6,090 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 1,680 pounds

Beautifully and thoughtfully designed from the inside out, the Mallard M260 is as dreamy as a small RV trailer with a bathroom can get. The interior will make you feel like you stepped into a farmhouse on wheels, while the exterior has all the cool features you expect from Heartland, such as LED lighting and glow-in-the-dark graphics.

Other noteworthy interior and exterior features include one of the largest-in-class underneath storage compartments, a full-height pantry/coat closet, reversible booth cushions to suit your decor preference, and more. You’re sure to be the envy of the campground in this RV!

Rockwood Geo-Pro 19FBS

• Length: 20’2”
• Dry Weight: 3,543 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 894 pounds
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 3

The Rockwood Geo-Pro 19FBS is a small travel trailer with a large rear bathroom thanks to its spacious floor plan and slide-out feature. This lightweight and light-colored RV is perfect for a couple, and the pull-out sofa transforms a couch into a guest bed or an extra sleeping space for a kid. 

It’s one of the most compact and lightweight travel trailers. Its rear bath floor plan makes it easily towable with smaller trucks and SUVs. Although it’s smaller than some of the others on this list, it has a queen-sized, very functional kitchen and a cozy lounge/dining area.

East to West Silver Lake 2600RB

• Length: 30’6”
• Dry Weight: 6,158 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 1,562 pounds

The spacious Silver Lake 2600RB has room for the whole family. This RV with a large bathroom offers plenty of seating and sleeping options to host guests, with a king-size bed and a super slide-out that holds the jackknife sofa and the booth dinette. 

The large rear bathroom of this floorplan provides ample cabinet storage while still giving you plenty of room to freshen up after a day on the trails or relaxing around the campfire. Don’t miss the full-height pantry that could double as a coat closet behind the fireplace and entertainment center!

Forest River Salem FSX 164RBLE

• Length: 20’
• Dry Weight: 2,819 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 1,061 pounds
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 2

This lightweight travel trailer has everything a couple needs for a comfortable weekend getaway. The Salem FSX 164BLE offers an open floor plan with a couch, queen bed, and plenty of cabinet space, making it a great option for a first camper.

The biggest downside is not having a true dining area, but the lightweight and compact size are the positive trade-offs. You can always use TV dinner trays or dine outdoors at your campsite picnic table!

Keystone Cougar 26RBS

• Length: 29’11”
• Dry Weight: 6,796 pounds
• Cargo Capacity: 2,004 pounds

At what point does it become glamping? Is it the king-sized bed, the fireplace, or the large radius shower? You won’t have to guess the answer to that question because the Cougar 26RBS has it all.

The rear bath features a glass-door shower, a porcelain toilet, and a skylight over the shower, making this floorplan feel truly like a home away from home. Whether you go with the standard sleeper sofa or opt for theater seating, you’ll have comfortable seating across from the fireplace and entertainment center, with a hidden storage area behind it!

Check Out These Honorable Mentions!

• Keystone Passport 189RB
• Heartland Eddie Bauer
• Forest River Rockwood Mini Lite 2104S
• East to West Longitude 185RB
• Jayco Jay Flight SLX 160LK

What Are Some Benefits of a Rear Bath Travel Trailer?

The primary benefit of rear bath travel trailer floorplans is the spacious bathroom, which often includes a larger shower, more storage, and increased privacy compared to other travel trailer layouts. 

This design is ideal for those who value comfort and convenience, such as couples seeking a cozy yet functional retreat or small families who need extra space to accommodate their needs while still enjoying the great outdoors together.

A rear bath travel trailer offers several other benefits:

• Maximized Privacy : The rear bath layout places the bathroom at the farthest point from the living and sleeping areas, providing more privacy and reducing noise disturbance when nature calls!
• Spacious Bathroom : No matter the size of the travel trailer, these rear bath trailers often feature larger bathrooms with more space for amenities like a bigger shower and additional storage cabinets compared to other travel trailer floor plans .
• Efficient Use of Space : By situating the bathroom at the rear, the central and front areas of the trailer can be utilized more effectively for living, dining, and sleeping, leading to a more open and versatile floor plan.
• More Spacious Feel : The separation of the bathroom from other living areas creates an overall open feel and improves the flow of movement within the trailer, making it easier to move around without dancing around each other.
• Storage Options : Rear bath travel trailers often include additional storage inside the bathroom and in the rear of the trailer, which can make all the difference when living full-time or taking an extended trip.

Is It Worth Having a Bathroom in a Camper?

Having a bathroom in a camper can be well worth it, depending on your travel style, needs, and preferences.

Most campgrounds have shared bathhouses that should be kept clean by the staff on-site. The keywords there are shared and should. If you have a small camper with a bathroom, you don’t have to share, and you can maintain it to your standard of cleanliness. 

But the benefits of small campers with bathrooms begin before you reach the campground. Travel days are much more comfortable when you don’t have to worry about the health and safety concerns of using a bathroom at a gas station along your route.

Not a fan of established campgrounds? A bathroom allows you to be more self-sufficient, enabling you to camp in remote locations without nearby facilities. While a bathroom takes up space and requires maintenance, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. 

Can You Shower in an RV Without Hookups?

Yes, you can! All the rear bath travel trailers listed have a fresh water tank, a water heater, a water pump, and a gray water tank, allowing you to enjoy a refreshing shower between adventures.

To conserve water best without having hookups, campers can shower using a Navy shower technique: turning off the water while soaping up and only turning it on to rinse. Learn these additional unspoken rules of showering in an RV .

With many rear bath travel trailers, you enjoy a spacious and private bathroom, an open floor plan, and thoughtful touches that make life on the road more enjoyable. Whether you’re embarking on weekend getaways or living on the road full-time, these rear bath travel trailer floor plans offer the perfect balance of comfort and convenience.

Travel trailers have evolved with the market over recent years, and there are more floor plan options than ever. Check out these options to help find the best RV for you and your family:

• Rear Kitchen Travel Trailers
• Popular Travel Trailer Floorplans
• Rear Living Travel Trailers

Which rear bath travel trailer model is your favorite? Tell us in the comments below!

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Moscow Vnukovo airport (VKO)

Location details, contact information, airlines, departure and arrival flight status, transportation, facilities and services, parking, special passenger amenities, nearby hotels and answers to passengers' frequently asked questions.

 Passenger Guide

 general information.

Moscow-Vnukovo International Airport, opened on July 1, 1941, is one of the airports serving the country's capital. It operates domestic flights and international destinations in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North America and the Caribbean. Official Website: vnukovo.ru

Number of Terminals - 1 - Open 24 hours a day.

Annual passenger traffic: 16.4 million passengers went through it in 2022.

Tel: +7 495 937 5555. There is an information counter on the ground floor of the terminal, next to the main entrance.

 Location

The airport is located in the Vnukovo district, 28 km (18 miles) southwest of Moscow.

 Departures

 arrivals,  airlines,  facilities and lounges,  overnight stay,  transportation,  car hire, car rental agencies.

Rentmotors (Tel +7 916 724 0455 - 8:00 am to 8:00 pm) and RexRent (Tel +7 495 981 1917 / 800 250 1213 - 9:00 am to 9:00 pm) have offices in the Arrivals Hall.

 Parking

Parking services at moscow vnukovo airport (vko).

Several parking options available. Payment is made at the stations located at the exit of each sector. More information: Tel +7 495 436 7893 / 7892. Tariffs

P1 & P2 - Multi-level facilities in front of the terminal. First 15 minutes are free. P6 - Long-stay area located in Vnukovo village, on Aeroflotskaya Street.

It is important to request assistance in advance (up to 48 hours before departure) and to describe your needs precisely. A wheelchair can be requested to move around the terminal and board the aircraft with the help of a lift. A special waiting room, induction loops for the hearing impaired, ramps and lifts are also available. More information: Tel +7 495 436 6189.

Latest updates: May 12, 2023

What to know before having a Flight