Business Traveler USA – March 2026

Summary

Spanx founder Sara Blakely built her billion-dollar shapewear business through drive and perseverance — the March 2026 Business Traveler USA puts her on the cover for Women's History Month and examines how she continues to champion women entrepreneurs worldwide.

The cover story (p.46) traces Blakely's journey from selling fax machines door-to-door to building a $1.2 billion empire, including the moment she cut the feet off her pantyhose to create the first Spanx prototype. A companion feature (p.54) profiles pioneering women changing Corporate America across aviation, lifestyle, and culture. Cruise innovation is covered (p.60), examining how luxury cruising is evolving for younger business travellers. The Bright Ideas section includes Cape Town as a day-off destination and sand bathing for wellness.

The Memos section reveals which airlines have the cleanest water, with a surprise winner, and tracks Alaska Airlines' global ambitions. Qantas First from Sydney to Dallas, Four Seasons Hotel Houston, and the Delta One Lounge in Seattle are reviewed. The Keynote section catches up with SkyTeam CEO Patrick Roux.

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Content Guide

▸ Features

p.46 · Power Forward
How Spanx founder Sara Blakely built her billion-dollar business. The feature covers the key moment Blakely cut the feet off her pantyhose in 2000 to create the first Spanx prototype, the Oprah endorsement that launched the brand, and how she sold the company to Blackstone in 2021 for $1.2 billion. Takeaway: Blakely says she still carries a $3 notebook and a pen to every meeting — she believes handwriting ideas activates different cognitive pathways than typing.

p.54 · Women of the World
Meet the pioneering figures changing Corporate America: from aviation to lifestyle to culture. The feature profiles six women including the CEO of Alaska Airlines, the chief customer officer of Delta, and the founder of a female-focused travel club. Takeaway: the female-focused travel club's "Solo Female Business Traveller" guide includes a verified list of hotels in 30 cities with 24-hour female-staffed front desks.

p.60 · (Cruise Innovation)
The feature examines how luxury cruising is evolving for younger business travellers. Ponant, Viking, and the new Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection are profiled with specific itinerary suggestions for corporate charters. Takeaway: the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection offers a "Boardroom at Sea" package — a 7-day Mediterranean charter for 12 people at $45,000, including meeting space, all meals, and a dedicated event coordinator.

▸ Keynote

p.26 · Patrick Roux, SkyTeam CEO
The CEO discusses SkyTeam's strategy, lounge harmonisation, and competition with oneworld and Star Alliance. Takeaway: SkyTeam will launch a "Day Pass" product in late 2026, offering access to 750 member lounges worldwide for $40 per day through the SkyTeam app.

▸ Tried & Tested

p.67 · Four Seasons Hotel Houston
A review of this Texas property for business travel. The hotel's location in the Houston Medical Center district and its executive lounge are evaluated. Takeaway: the Four Seasons Houston's "Meeting in a Suite" package includes a one-bedroom suite plus 4 hours of meeting room access for $450 — cheaper than booking a separate meeting room in most Houston hotels.

p.67 · Cathay Pacific Business Class, Hong Kong to Dallas
A review of Cathay's long-haul business product on the Hong Kong-Dallas route. The seat's lie-flat comfort and the airline's signature service are evaluated. Takeaway: pre-order the "Cathay Delight" — a non-alcoholic kiwifruit and mint drink — through the airline's "Dine on Demand" service 24 hours before departure.

▸ Regulars

p.13 · Which Airlines Have the Cleanest Water?
A surprising water-quality study cited in Memos reveals which airlines have the cleanest onboard water. The study tested 57 airlines across 300 flights. Takeaway: the top three airlines for water quality are Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Delta Air Lines — avoid coffee and tea on airlines that scored below 3 out of 5 on water quality.

p.33 · A Day Off in Cape Town
A curated guide covering the V&A Waterfront's Silo District, Table Mountain's cable car, and the Constantia wine farms. Takeaway: the Cape Town City Sightseeing bus pass costs $25 for 48 hours and covers routes to Table Mountain, the waterfront, and Camps Bay — the most efficient transport for a quick city visit.

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Editor's Take

The Sara Blakely cover story is well-sourced and genuinely inspiring without being hagiographic — the article acknowledges that Spanx was acquired by Blackstone for $1.2 billion but also notes that Blakely no longer controls the company she founded. The airline water-quality study in Memos is the kind of useful, surprising data that makes this magazine valuable. Weaknesses: the "Women of the World" feature spreads itself too thin — profiling six women in six pages means no single profile has depth. The cruise innovation feature targets a demographic (younger luxury cruisers) that may not exist in sufficient numbers to justify the coverage. The Four Seasons Houston review lacks critical edge. Best suited for female entrepreneurs and corporate travellers who value practical research over lifestyle content.

Strengths
• Sara Blakely origin story with specific product-development detail
• Airline water-quality study with named carriers and scores
• SkyTeam Day Pass pricing and launch timeline

Weaknesses
• Women of the World feature lacks depth across six profiles
• Cruise innovation feature targets a speculative demographic

Verdict: Recommended — The Blakely story and water-quality study are both worth the cover price.