Business travel is making a comeback, with projections indicating it will reach 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024, according to Skift Research. This resurgence is a significant recovery for corporate travel, which had been trailing behind leisure travel during the pandemic.
In this revived landscape, travel managers play a crucial role in optimizing the air booking process to align with company policies, simplify management tasks, and ensure compliance. Southwest Airlines has been expanding its services within the business travel sector, offering enhanced capabilities for booking, modifying, and managing flights through various distribution channels.
Ryan Green, executive vice president and chief commercial officer at Southwest Business, highlighted the airline’s commitment to simplifying business travel for travel managers by offering flexible self-service options, customizable programs, and robust management tools. Southwest Business introduced Southwest Business Assist, a self-service portal aimed at empowering travel managers to oversee travel agreements, handle requests, track funds and credits, and access promotional content conveniently.
The portal, designed to cater to the evolving needs of hybrid work environments and blended travel scenarios, offers enhanced reporting, detailed dashboards, sustainability tracking, and the ability to contract and book travel for meetings and events. This flexibility allows travel managers to navigate complex travel programs and situations efficiently while meeting duty-of-care responsibilities.
One of the key differentiators for Southwest Business is its emphasis on simple, straightforward contract terms and multichannel distribution options. The airline aims to remove friction in corporate travel by offering flexible contract terms and diverse booking channels, such as global distribution systems, to ensure compliance and ease of booking.
Dedicated account manager support further enhances the travel management experience, providing assistance to address any issues or concerns before, during, or after travel. Combined with digital tools like Southwest Business Assist, travel managers have access to comprehensive insights and analytics in near real-time, enabling data-driven decision-making and effective program management.
By prioritizing customer-centric solutions, flexible contract terms, and dedicated support, Southwest Business aims to simplify business travel for travel managers and ensure a seamless experience for corporate travelers.