The Interview: How British Airways is investing in the US market and agent partnerships

 

Q. Why does the US remain such a crucial market for BA and the UK travel trade?

The US is one of the most important long-haul markets for BA and travel agents, because of its scale, resilience and depth of demand. 

The market drives a balanced mix of business, leisure and visiting friends and relations (VFR) traffic, and that means passengers year-round, which brings volume and consistency of our services.

The strength of the economic, cultural and business links between the UK and the US means demand is a bit less seasonal and more structurally embedded than some of our other long-haul markets. 

For the trade, this creates a reliable, high-value market with a broad appeal across multiple customer segments.

 

Q. BA is often described as one of the strongest links between the UK and the US. What underpins that position?

We serve more destinations to the US than any other European airline, and this facilitates trade, tourism and investment in both directions. 

This summer, we will operate a record number of flights between North America and London – more than 450 direct flights weekly during our busiest weeks.

We have been flying to the US for 80 years and this demonstrates our commitment to the market – it shows longevity of service and deep partnerships as we have continued to invest and innovate.

Routes such as New York, Phoenix and Los Angeles represent decades of continuous service, which reinforces confidence for the trade. 

Also central to our operation in the US is the strength of our partnership with American Airlines.

The Atlantic Joint Business partnership with American Airlines began in October 2010.

We have other airlines in the partnership, such as Finnair, Iberia and Aer Lingus – they are really important partners across the US.

Together, we don’t just fly between the major gateways; we also connect to multiple destinations throughout the US as well.

Q. How do alliances and partnerships strengthen BA’s US proposition for travel agents?

It’s about the scale, network and simplicity of onward connections to regional airports.

It means passengers can connect seamlessly to hundreds of cities and towns, opening up more of the US and farther afield than we could offer ourselves. 

Our 27 direct flights are absolutely fantastic but just think what that partnership with American Airlines brings and how it makes transatlantic travel easier and more reliable.

At New York’s JFK Airport, BA and American now operate side by side in Terminal 8, thanks to a multimillion-dollar redevelopment.

 

 

"Our approach at BA is consistent, long-term commitment, continued investment and a focus on providing the trade with a really strong, reliable platform for selling the US"

 

Having the same location for BA and American Airlines means we act as one team for our customers, and our agents can talk about those benefits with clients when they’re selling. 

We have smoother transfers for connecting to other destinations, coordinated schedules, and shared premium check-in, baggage handling and customer support.

At Chicago O’Hare Airport, BA moved its departures from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 in April 2024, co-locating with American Airlines and other oneworld partners for easier connections.

BA, Iberia and Aer Lingus flights now all depart from Terminal 3, offering a seamless experience for customers of the Atlantic Joint Business. This move also coincided with BA’s 70th year of flying to Chicago.

For travel agents, these partnerships give more flexibility when planning itineraries for customers, giving them the confidence of a well-integrated network and a consistent experience for passengers.

We all hope disruption doesn’t happen, but when it does, having a broad network with high frequencies means more options when it comes to departure times, routeing and availability – which gives agents more confidence that they can re-accommodate our mutual customers, which makes selling the US easier.

Optimised Passenger Recovery, our automated disruption management system, helps to rebook customers as seamlessly as possible. 

 

Q. How is BA supporting agents as demand for the US continues to evolve?

We work closely with our agents, listening to them to make sure they have the tools, content and support they need.

We’ve invested in our digital capabilities, our distribution partnerships, sales engagement and closer collaboration – plus more collaboration with other airlines. 
In times of disruption, the airline industry comes together to help get passengers where they need to be.

We have a tool, British Airways Travel Partner Connect, with a wealth of information for our trade partners, and I have a brilliant team of 25; they’re absolutely fantastic and work closely with many agents across the UK and other countries. For us, that human connection is so important, listening to what our agents are saying, and taking on feedback.

 

Q. Looking ahead, what should the trade expect next from BA in the US market?

We are continuing to invest in our US network and our overall customer proposition. For customers – before the airport, planning to book, making the booking, going to the airport, going through the airport, sitting on our planes – how can we make that whole experience as good for them as we possibly can?

We want to focus on strengthening our connectivity and building our existing partnerships. 

We look at long-term value for our customers and our agents – the market continues to evolve and nothing stands still in travel.

Our approach at BA is consistent, long-term commitment, continued investment and a focus on providing the trade with a really strong, reliable platform for selling the US.

Agents can help reassure our customers, providing them with information – such as for Esta requirements – making sure the customers have everything they need and are confident about their connections to make that journey as smooth as possible.

I’d like to say a massive thank you to our travel agency partners for everything they do to support us. 

 

Q. This year sees significant milestones across BA’s US network. Why are anniversaries important for the trade?

We have been serving New York for 80 years, Boston for 75 years, Los Angeles for 65 years and Phoenix for 30 years. These milestones reflect the commitment that we have to the US market and reinforce confidence across the trade – we are not just looking at short-term opportunities, but markets where BA has built long, sustained trust on both sides of the Atlantic for many years. The consistency, investment and trust give our travel agents more confidence when they recommend BA to their customers, along with our joint-venture partners. 

 

Over the past decade we’ve launched six new US routes: New Orleans in 2017, Nashville 2018, Pittsburgh 2019, Portland in Oregon 2022 and Cincinnati in 2023 – and our non-stop Heathrow-St Louis service started in April this year, marking our 27th direct US gateway. To celebrate that launch, a huge contingent came over from the US – people interested in tourism and trade – and it was a good opportunity to showcase London and the UK.

 

Other investments include our new lounge which opened in Miami International Airport in 2025 – it looks absolutely stunning. At 13,000 square feet, it’s the largest BA lounge outside London. We’ve also expanded our lounge facilities across New York, and our lounge at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport was upgraded last year, coinciding with our 45-year anniversary of connecting Seattle and London. Premium leisure continues to grow, and we see a real mix in our lounges between business and leisure travellers.