{"id":579,"date":"2026-05-31T12:43:21","date_gmt":"2026-05-31T12:43:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reliablemovingcrews.com\/?p=579"},"modified":"2026-05-31T12:43:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-31T12:43:21","slug":"how-rich-americans-are-saving-europes-airlines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reliablemovingcrews.com\/?p=579","title":{"rendered":"How rich Americans are saving Europe\u2019s airlines"},"content":{"rendered":"
LONDON, May 28 (Reuters Breakingviews) – \u201cThere are a few American television shows which make Paris look extremely attractive,\u201d remarked Air France-KLM (AIRF.PA)<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span> CEO Ben Smith last year, presumably referring to \u201cEmily in Paris\u201d, the hit Netflix series. The show, which debuted \u200bin late 2020, speaks to the seemingly insatiable post-pandemic appetite of wealthy Americans for fancy transatlantic sojourns \u2013 even if Europeans aren\u2019t quite \u200cas enthusiastic about going the other way. Airlines that fly U.S. travellers across the pond \u2013 like Air France-KLM, British Airways owner IAG (ICAG.L)<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span> and Deutsche Lufthansa (LHAG.DE)<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span> \u2013 will be hoping the trend continues, given a dicier outlook at home.<\/div>
Affluent Americans have done unusually well in recent years. Despite a few wobbles, the dollar is still 10% stronger against a basket of other major \u200bcurrencies compared with five years ago. U.S. stock markets have been on a tear, helped of late by AI fervour. The S&P 500 \u200bIndex is up almost 80% over the past half-decade, whereas a global MSCI benchmark of non-U.S. stocks (.dMIWU00000PUS)<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span> has risen just \u2060over 30%. More than a third of U.S. net personal wealth is held in securities and other financial instruments, according<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span> to UBS, much higher than in \u200bother developed countries.<\/div>
That adds up to lots of money to splash out on vacations to Paris, Madrid and Lake Como. International trips by U.S. citizens grew \u200baround 10% between 2019 and 2025, according to data from the International Trade Administration, but travel to Europe was up over 20%. Airlines have noticed. Carriers on both sides of the Atlantic are ramping up their premium offerings. Upmarket demand proved resilient after Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine and the \u201cLiberation Day\u201d 2025 tariff announcement.<\/div>
With intra-Europe flying facing a tough summer \u2013 given the backdrop \u200bof higher fuel costs, nervous consumers and an increase in seats on offer \u2013 airlines will hope U.S. high rollers can step up again. Tight supply in \u200btransatlantic flying gives carriers pricing power. Though flights to certain countries like Italy and Ireland are growing faster, schedule data from aviation analytics firm Cirium shows a slight year-on-year \u200cdecline in \u2060seats available between the U.S. and Europe this summer. The chief commercial officer of Delta Air Lines (DAL.N)<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span> said last month that the transatlantic market was looking \u201cvery good\u201d, while Lufthansa called out strong sales in the U.S. while announcing first-quarter results.<\/div>
There may be headwinds. The European Travel Commission said<\/svg>, opens new tab<\/span> in February that 34% of U.S. survey respondents were intending to travel to the region in 2026 \u2013 down year-on-year. Another survey from UBS, conducted in March and April, showed a small dip \u200bin American interest in long-haul leisure travel, \u200bwith respondents expecting to take \u2060an average of 1.3 flights over the next 12 months, versus 1.4 in last year\u2019s survey. Worries about rising fuel prices, thanks to the Iran war, may encourage some Americans to plan their summer vacations closer to home.<\/div>
Still, similar fears \u200bhave proved wrong before. The S&P 500 is up 9% since the day before the Gulf conflict began, \u200bmeaning rich Americans\u2019 animal \u2060spirits may be high. That\u2019s a tailwind for European airlines.<\/div>
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