This year may set a record for the number of air travelers, with an estimated 4.7 billion people expected to fly globally, according to The New York Times. 

Notably, younger generations are more likely than older generations, polling firm Morning Consult reported in May 2023, to use credit card loyalty programs to book travel vs. joining airline frequent flier programs. 

This has led to a rise in more bank-operated lounges (many of which are exclusive to specific credit card holders) opening in airports across the U.S. Credit card companies are leaning into airport lounges as opportunities to spread brand awareness and establish loyalty to specific credit cards/credit card companies instead of specific airlines, a trend younger generations seem to be adopting. 

In the report linked here and below, we reveal airline food and beverage trends that are taking flight (charcuterie, espresso martinis, pasta with plant-based ragu, oat milk-based coffee creamer), as well as explore new lounges (many of which are operated by credit card companies) that either opened in recent years or are set to open soon (a lounge is set to debut at Midway in Chicago that’s available to all travelers for $50, the first in the airport’s history). These lounges are capitalizing on everything from wellness zones to full-service bars and restaurants that use local ingredients to nap pods to game rooms. 

We also dive into the data behind what consumers want from airlines in terms of ordering options (over half of consumers want breakfast to be an ordering option on early flights), the snacks consumers want most on flights, and more. Although it may be tempting to write off this report as specific to airlines, the trends and concepts we home in on provide insight into larger trends (such as modern luxury and convenience) that should be on manufacturers’ and operators’ radars. 

Jaclyn Marks is a Senior Publications Manager and Trendologist at Datassential.

The report, Creative Concepts: Airline Trends, is available only to subscribers, who can find it (and hundreds more) in Report Pro, Datassential’s vast food and beverage research and insights library. For more information or to become a subscriber, reach out here. 

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