International Business Class bookings by Australian SMEs have increased 19 per cent in the first half of 2026, as airlines accelerate investment in premium cabins to meet demand for greater comfort, privacy and productivity.
New data from Corporate Traveller, the SME division of Flight Centre Travel Group, shows Business Class bookings between January and June were up 19 per cent year-on-year, reflecting continued demand from corporate travellers despite economic uncertainty.
Airlines compete on premium experience
Corporate Traveller Global Managing Director Tom Walley said airlines were increasingly treating Business Class as a distinct product offering rather than simply a premium seat.
“Business class used to be about the seat, but now it’s about the whole experience – end-to-end – and the airlines know it, and they are responding to it,” Walley said.
He said many businesses now viewed premium travel as an investment in employee productivity, particularly on long-haul routes where travellers could arrive better rested and ready for work.
Corporate Traveller’s latest Travel Manager Survey found Emirates was rated the best long-haul Business Class experience out of Australia by 72 per cent of respondents, followed by Qatar Airways (67 per cent) and Singapore Airlines (62 per cent).
Premium cabin upgrades gather pace
The increase in demand comes as airlines continue to upgrade their premium products.
Emirates is rolling out refurbished Boeing 777 aircraft featuring a new 1-2-1 Business Class configuration and expanding its retrofit program across its Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 fleets.
Malaysia Airlines has introduced its latest Business Class suites with privacy doors on A330neo services to Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, with Brisbane due to follow later this year.
Air New Zealand is progressively retrofitting its Boeing 787-9 fleet with new Business Premier and Business Premier Luxe cabins, while Delta Air Lines has introduced a lower-priced “Basic Business” fare that offers lie-flat seating with fewer inclusions.
Some highly anticipated products remain on hold, with Qatar Airways’ Qsuite Next Gen and Singapore Airlines’ new Business Class suites now expected to enter service in 2027.
Walley said travellers planning future trips should be aware that not all new cabin products were yet available.
“Not every airline is moving at the same pace. Some of the most talked-about seats on the market right now still aren’t in the sky,” he said.
The trend highlights growing competition among airlines to attract premium travellers as Business Class continues to evolve beyond traditional seating upgrades to offer enhanced privacy, flexibility and onboard experiences.
