LSN : Daily Signals : How United Airlines is building a new middle tier in air travel

Belmond luxury experiences brought to São Paulo with Casa Higienópolis

Belmond, Brazil

Brazil – Belmond has made its debut in São Paulo with a week-long pop-up at Casa Higienópolis featuring gastronomy, wellness and cultural experiences from around the globe for luxury travellers.

It brought expertise from other Belmond locations, such as the Bellini Listening Bar, where the mixology team from Hotel Cipriani in Venice collaborated with Stefano Giglio, head barman at the Copacabana Palace. Guests enjoyed a specially crafted cocktail while listening to a dedicated playlist.

Chef Pía León, from Peru’s Palacio Nazarenas, led a workshop exploring the country’s coastal cuisine, and a brunch was also served, devised by chef Roberto Toro from the Grand Hotel Timeo, Sicily.

Wellness offerings were inspired Belmond’s Maroma hotel in Mexico, with yoga classes and traditional cacao ceremonies. Casa Higienópolis also hosted the first Brazilian exhibition of South African designer Thebe Magugu, showcasing his fashion and interior design work.

Explore our interview with Celia Geyer, Belmond’s senior VP of design and project development, on responsible luxury and creating unique, experience-driven destinations.

Strategic opportunity

Enter new markets by hosting limited-time, immersive programmes that tease local audiences with gastronomic, wellness and cultural experiences to create a pathway to long-term brand engagement

How United Airlines is building a new middle tier in air travel

US – United Airlines is rethinking long-haul economy travel with its United Relax Row, a convertible seating designed to increase comfort without upgrading from cabin class.

A row of three economy seats transforms into a sofa-like, lie-flat surface after takeoff by using adjustable leg rests that fold to create a mattress-style space.

This option will be available to families, couples and solo travellers on selected planes from 2027. A mattress pad, oversized blanket, additional pillows and a children’s travel kit can be added.

The seating will be introduced on more aircrafts by 2030, with up to 12 Relax Row sections per plane. United is the first North American airline to introduce such seating and is embedding flexibility and comfort into standard travel, signalling rising expectations for experience-led economy cabins.

Positioned between economy and premium plus, the design introduces a new mid-tier comfort layer.

Delve into our Five Airlines Uplifting In-flight Wellness report to see how airlines are enriching luxury air travel.

United Airlines, US

Strategic opportunity

Create mid-tier experiences within core economy offerings, giving travellers the option to trade up for enhanced comfort and amenities without fully upgrading, while testing new formats that drive loyalty and differentiate your brand

Stat: Research confirms coffee as a morning priority ritual

Cumulus Coffee, US

Global – The importance of morning coffee as a ritual that affects people’s mindsets has been underlined in new research from Talker Research for Tata Consumer Products.

Surveying 2,000 US coffee drinkers, the study found that 47% go to bed earlier to make time for their morning coffee. Nearly three-quarters (73%) say a quality cup impacts how successful their day feels, while 79% believe it makes their day easier.

On average, respondents spend more time making and drinking coffee (16 minutes) than they spend showering (11 minutes), eating breakfast (9 minutes), or doing their hair and make-up (8 minutes). The survey also revealed that the average respondent consumes 2.5 cups of coffee a day, with two in three saying their ideal first cup would be enjoyed at 8am, followed by a second at 10.42am.

Our Liquid Intentions macrotrend maps a ‘day of drinks’ and shows how individuals structure their routine around beverages as well as how they bring comfort and support self-expression.

However, coffee – and matcha – harvests are affected by climate change, and prices are rising. Head to the Coffee Beyond Beans section of our Future Forecast 2025: Food & Drink to find out more.