Celebrating Shared Stories: BCD Travel

BCD corporate film

One route encapsulates this particularly well: Frankfurt–New York. This route has long been one of the most important corridors for multinational corporate clients, and Lufthansa Group’s strength on this connection made it a cornerstone of many travel programs that BCD manages. But what began as a transatlantic route gradually grew into something far more strategic. The most significant milestone, as Baars describes it, was “the evolution of our collaboration from a traditional supplier relationship into a more strategic partnership, working together on distribution, servicing, and long-term development.”

That evolution has been driven by a constant exchange of ideas and expectations on both sides. “Lufthansa Group and BCD Travel have continuously challenged each other to expand capabilities, improve services, and adapt to the changing needs of the global corporate customers we jointly serve,” Baars reflects. The result is a collaboration that has grown in both depth and breadth—one that mirrors the shifting landscape of global business travel itself.

If trust is the foundation, shared values are the architecture. When asked to describe the collaboration in three words, Baars does not hesitate: “Trust, scale, and reliability.” Behind those words, however, lies something more concrete. “We share a strong commitment to sustainability, people-centered collaboration, innovation, and long-term responsibility,” he explains. “These values come to life through close, respectful cooperation across many levels of our organizations, with teams working together every day to support our global corporate customers.”

That daily collaboration has created something that reaches beyond the transactional. For Baars, Lufthansa Group airlines have become home carriers in many of BCD’s strategic markets—and that familiarity carries real weight. “The partnership goes beyond contracts,” he says. The personal relationships between teams, built over years of working side by side, form the connective tissue of a cooperation that consistently delivers for clients.

Looking ahead, Baars sees the next decade as a defining period for both industries. “One of the biggest shared opportunities will be shaping more sustainable travel while continuing to evolve travel technology.” The direction is clear: “The path ahead is about using innovation to make travel more transparent, more responsible, and easier to manage at scale.” For both BCD and Lufthansa Group, the destination is a more sustainable travel ecosystem, one where airlines, travel management companies, and corporate customers work in close alignment to reduce their environmental impact without sacrificing global connectivity or traveler experience.

Now that the digital foundation is laid, and business travelers increasingly expect flexibility and well-being, how can our partnership further strengthen the human side of corporate travel, especially through employee loyalty, traveler well-being, and sustainability?

“Now that the digital foundation is in place, we have an opportunity to strengthen the human side of corporate travel. Travelers increasingly value flexibility, well-being, and purpose, and our partnership can support that by linking sustainable choices with meaningful benefits. Initiatives such as Lufthansa Group’s Green Fares and stronger connections to loyalty programs like Miles & More can help reinforce employee engagement, traveler well-being, and long-term trust, while encouraging more responsible travel behavior.”