Flight Centre experienced a massive rise in “reactivated” customers during the first month of the US-Iran conflict, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) revealed in a trading update.
In March 2026, FCTG’s flagship brand saw an approximately 20 per cent increase in customers returning to stores after a multi-year absence.
The fact that this happened when it did is no coincidence, as travellers concerned about the Middle East crisis sought advice from travel professionals who could help them navigate a period of deep uncertainty.
In its update, the group said that its people, “particularly sales staff”, have been “integral to FLT’s [FCTG] plans during the current uncertainty and during the sharp rebound that typically follows a period of disruption”.
The return of lapsed customers was predicted by FCTG Leisure CEO James Kavanagh (“JK”).
In an exclusive interview with Karryon in March, JK said that the rebound was being led by disillusioned direct bookers.
“Customers who booked online are coming back into our stores and onto our website to rebook,” he said. “When the world gets complex, people want an expert in their corner. That’s what our people are.”
And that’s been reflected in Net Promoter Scores (NPS) “approaching record levels in the Flight Centre brand”, the trading update revealed. Most notably, advisors have helped customers reroute flights, with 92 per cent of UK trips booked on non-Gulf carriers in March.
According to the update presented by FCTG CFO Adam Campbell, more than 25,000 mass-market leisure bookings were “disrupted” in March. Crucially, however, only around six per cent of those bookings were cancelled. That’s been borne out in its bottom line.
In Q3 of FY2026, total transaction value (TTV) rose by 6.8 per cent to $7 billion, while underlying profit before tax (UPBT) grew 18.5% to $102.6 million. Year-to-date figures (Q1-Q3) are equally positive, with TTV up 7.6 per cent to $19.5 billion and UPBT growing 9.7% to $226.4 million.
In FCTG’s leisure division, there were nine consecutive months (including March) of double-digit TTV growth, with increases across all categories (mast, luxury, independent, specialist). However, the group reported that the Middle East crisis hit leisure profits by about $10 million at the start of Q4 (April).
Cruising and touring were the hardest hit sectors in March due to “Gulf route disruption, higher airfares, longer routings and customer hesitation”, while for FCTG’s independent arm, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa were most impacted due to their reliance on Gulf-based routing to Europe.
On the corporate side, bookings have been “stable” amid geopolitical tensions, with no material cancellations or downturns observed.
Looking ahead, the group still expects to hit its UPBT target of $315M–$350M for Q4 despite the potential impact of ongoing unrest and possible future fuel supply disruption.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Flight Centre’s 20 per cent client return shows uncertainty drives travellers back to travel advisors. For Aussie agents, it’s a timely reminder: expertise wins when complexity rises, boosting trust, bookings and long-term loyalty.
