Business Traveller UK – December 2025

Summary

Freestyle skier Mikael Kingsbury, the most decorated male mogul skier in history, reveals what he packs for a World Cup season that spans 14 countries in the December 2025 Business Traveller UK — a festive issue that also tracks abandoned airport megaprojects and the best ski resorts for corporate off-sites.

The cover story is actually a spreads feature: "What's in My Bag?" (p.52) gathers the magazine's global editors and Kingsbury himself to dump out their carry-on contents, revealing the specific gadgets, documents, and comfort items that power a working year on the road. The ski feature (p.56) ranks the world's best resorts for corporate groups, and a ghost-terminal investigation (p.40) examines what happens when airport megaprojects fail mid-construction. Gilda Perez-Alvarado, CEO of Orient Express, gives a rare interview (p.37).

Hot ticket is Antigua, the festive dining guide covers London's best Christmas menus (p.30), and the Reviews section tests IndiGo's new Stretch+ product on Delhi-Mumbai alongside Le Jardin de Verre by Locke in Paris. The quiz is Christmas-themed and the gift guide (p.64) offers present ideas for the frequent flyer.

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Content Guide

▸ Features / Cover Story

p.52 · What's in My Bag?
Seven Business Traveller editors and Mikael Kingsbury reveal their carry-on contents in photographs and annotations. The spread is equal parts voyeurism and practical packing inspiration. Takeaway: every editor packs a multi-port USB-C charger and a silk sleep mask — Kingsbury adds a foam roller for post-competition recovery.

p.56 · Snow Limit
The world's best ski resorts ranked by corporate-group suitability. Criteria include meeting facilities, direct flight access, and après-ski options for clients. Val Thorens, Niseko, and Whistler top the list. Takeaway: Val Thorens offers the highest-altitude conference centre in Europe at 2,300 metres, with a direct funicular from the airport to the hotel zone.

p.64 · Gift Guide
A curated gift selection for business travellers, from Tumi backpacks to Dyson Zone headphones. Prices range from $45 to $1,200. Takeaway: the $195 Loewe x On running shoe was the most-requested item in the editorial office test — lightweight enough for the airport and smart enough for dinner.

p.40 · Ghost Terminal
Abandoned airport megaprojects around the world — including the unfinished Ciudad Real Central Airport in Spain and the mothballed second terminal at Berlin Brandenburg — are examined for lessons in infrastructure planning. Takeaway: always check the completion status of airport expansion projects before basing office location decisions on promised connectivity.

▸ Insight

p.37 · Gilda Perez-Alvarado, CEO of Orient Express
The executive discusses the brand's transformation from a train company into a luxury hotel group, with properties opening in Rome, Riyadh, and Cartagena by 2028. Takeaway: Orient Express's first hotel, the Palazzo Dona Giovanelli in Venice, opens in March 2027 — suites start at $2,000 per night.

p.42 · How to Survive Getting Ill on a Business Trip
A practical guide covering travel-insurance claims, finding English-speaking doctors abroad, and what medications to carry. Takeaway: download the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers (IAMAT) app before departure — it lists vetted English-speaking doctors in 90 countries.

▸ Reviews

p.73 · IndiGo Stretch+ Airbus A321neo
IndiGo's new premium product on the Delhi-Mumbai route is tested. Seat pitch, meal service, and priority boarding are evaluated. Takeaway: Stretch+ seats 1A and 1F have the most legroom at 39 inches pitch — book them at least 72 hours ahead.

p.77 · Le Jardin de Verre by Locke, Paris
This aparthotel in the 12th arrondissement offers kitchenettes and co-working spaces designed for extended corporate stays. Takeaway: the property's "Work from Locke" package includes a dedicated desk, 200MBps wifi, and daily credit worth $15 at the café for $90 per night.

▸ Regulars

p.11 · Hot Ticket: Antigua
The Caribbean island is positioning itself as a winter corporate retreat destination. The new Balley Bay Resort & Spa caters to executive groups. Takeaway: Antigua's Citizenship by Investment programme starts at $100,000 for a family of four — worth considering for frequent regional travellers.

p.27 · A Day Off in Hong Kong
A 24-hour guide covering the reopened Peak Tram, Sham Shui Po's electronics markets, and the updated M+ museum exhibition. Takeaway: the Octopus Card now works on the cross-harbour ferry — tap on for $0.50 per crossing.

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Editor's Take

This December issue is stronger than the typical festive edition thanks to two standout features: the bag-dump spread genuinely helps readers pack better, and the abandoned-airport story is the kind of long-form investigative journalism that most travel magazines have abandoned. The ski resort ranking is useful for anyone planning a winter corporate off-site. Weaknesses: the gift guide is essentially a paid-placement catalogue — every single item is from a brand that advertises in the magazine. The festive dining guide is London-only and ignores the readership in Asia and the Middle East. The cover promises a "Michelin-star chef all-inclusive adult retreat" but the relevant article inside is a single page that doesn't name the chef. Best suited for ski-season planners and anyone who travels with significant carry-on cargo.

Strengths
• Abandoned-airport megaproject investigation
• Packing spread with actual editor contents photographed
• Ski-resort ranking with corporate-meeting criteria

Weaknesses
• Gift guide is effectively a paid-advertorial catalogue
• Festive dining guide limited to London only

Verdict: Recommended — Buy it for the ghost terminal feature and the packing inspiration; skip the gift guide.