Executive Travel : Choosing a Flight

A recent Chilton Research Services poll of 1,000 likely fliers indicates that frequent-flier mileage is well behind other factors in importance. “Since frequent-flier packages are offered by all the major airlines, they don’t seem to hold the same attraction for consumers as they once did,” notes Chilton transportation specialist Bill Augustyn. They appear to be an “entry ticket” in the marketplace, not a differentiating feature.

Most Important Factor in Selecting a Flight:

Cost: 46%

Airline safety record: 32%

Time of arrival-departure: 14%

Frequent-flier mileage: 4%

Size-type of aircraft: 3%

Don’t know: 3%

Note: Figures don’t add up to 100% due to rounding

Source: Chilton Research Services. Results have a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.