Late last week, Travel + Leisure and Fortune Magazines announced the results of their first-ever Best in Business Travel readers’ survey.
Some highlights:
-- Virgin America was rated the best domestic airline for business travel
-- Readers named Ritz-Carlton the top hotel brand for business travel
-- 23 percent of respondents admit to not removing liquids, laptops, etc. at security when required
-- 71 percent only bring a carry-on for business travel
-- 1 percent say they’d rather be getting a root canal than travel
The survey is featured in the October issue of Travel + Leisure, on newsstands September 19, and the September 22 issue of Fortune, on newsstands Monday.
More highlights:
Travel Habits + Opinions
30 percent have booked a flight or hotel using a mobile device
33 percent have used in-flight Wi-Fi
71 percent snuck in sightseeing between meetings
20 percent say poor in-room lighting is one of the biggest hotel pet peeves
56 percent say the cost and speed of Wi-Fi is one of the most frustrating parts of staying at a hotel
41 percent admit that jet lag and interrupted sleep are among the most difficult parts of business travel
61 percent say seat comfort/configuration is important when choosing an airline
Most Frustrating Parts of Air Travel
1. Cramped legroom (51 percent)*
2. Delays/cancellations (42 percent)
3. Poor customer service (26 percent)
4. Inefficient boarding process (23 percent)
5. Lack of carry-on space (20 percent)
6. Annoying fellow passengers (19 percent)
7. Airport security (16 percent)
8. Poor food choices (12 percent)
9. Restrictive loyalty programs (11 percent)
10. Lost/delayed luggage (10 percent)
Travel Expenses
79 percent say their travel allowances have increased or remained the same compared to five years ago
28 percent say scrutiny of expense reports has increased from five years ago
7 percent say they have gotten creative with expense reports
Most Valued Hotel Amenities
1. In-room technology or Wi-Fi (55 percent)*
2. Room comfort and design (54 percent)
3. Loyalty program (41 percent)
4. Late checkout/early check-in (33 percent)
5. Customer service (29 percent)
Most Important Digital Tools
1. Google Maps (53 percent)*
2. Kayak (22 percent)
3. Expedia (21 percent)
4. Yelp (17 percent)
5. Skype (15 percent)
6. SeatGuru (14 percent)
7. Orbitz (12 percent)
8. Tripit (8 percent)
9. Uber (7 percent)
10. GateGuru (4 percent)
Top Five Domestic Airlines for Business Travel
1. Virgin America
2. Alaska Airlines
3. JetBlue Airways
4. Delta Air Lines
5. Southwest Airlines
Top Five International Airlines for Business Travel
1. Singapore Airlines
2. Virgin Atlantic
3. Emirates
4. Qantas Airways
5. Cathay Pacific
Top Five Hotel Brands for Business Travel
1. Ritz-Carlton
2. Luxury Collection
3. Kimpton
4. Waldorf Astoria Collection
5. Fairmont
*Percentage of respondents who selected the answer among their top three choices.
See the results on TravelandLeisure.com and on Fortune.com.