“When travel becomes a luxury – and a stage at the same time”

"When travel becomes a luxury – and a stage at the same time"

The importance of holiday travel for the airline industry as the theme of Aviation Day 2026

Holiday travel is one of the most important drivers of the airline industry. In a recent column on aerotelegraph, Prof. Dr Karsten Benz discusses why demand for travel remains stable despite crises and rising prices.

The current conflict in the Middle East is driving up airfares. Closed airspace and the resulting cancellation of flight routes, as well as the need to bypass once strategically important hubs such as Dubai and Doha, are leading to a reduced number of flights available on the market. Together with rising kerosene prices, longer flight times are contributing to further increases in ticket prices and making holiday travel more expensive overall.

And yet, the desire to travel remains as strong as ever. This latest column highlights how the travel industry is currently undergoing fundamental change: flying is becoming more expensive, more complex and, at the same time, more important than ever. Holidays have long been more than just relaxation – they represent status, a story and social currency.

We will be discussing what this tectonic shift means for airlines, markets and travellers at Aviation Day 2026, under the theme ‘The Demand Engine: How Tourism Fuels the Airline Industry’. The event will bring together perspectives from practice, academia and the industry to pinpoint precisely these developments. The event will take place on 16 April 2026 at Worms University of Applied Sciences.