Premium traffic is bouncing back with an 18.7% increase in May compared with the same month last year.
The latest Premium Traffic Monitor from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) showed air travel had also recovered from the disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland earlier this year.
The Association said the total number of passengers increased in May by 10.9% compared with May 2009.
But with economy class growing by 10.2%, the pace of recovery by premium class "continued to exceed economy travel", IATA said.
Premium travel both in and from Europe showed strong growth.
It rose by 23% within the continent compared with last year, by 24% on routes to the Far East, 12.7% to the Middle East, 7.8% on North Atlantic services and by 3.4% to Africa.
IATA said the growth in both premium and economy classes was being "driven by business travellers rather than holidaymakers."
It added: "As world trade and business confidence continue to expand, passengers travelling on business have returned."
Premium travel had risen "almost twice as far in percentage terms from its 2009 low as economy travel but, such was the depth of the fall of the premium segment, current levels are still 10% below pre-recession peaks whereas economy travel is now 5% above its pre-recession peak."
Regionally IATA said there was a "strong rebound" in premium travel in Asia and the Middle East.
But it added: "Routes linked to Europe and North America are lagging behind with modest growth rates due to weak economic conditions.
"On the North Atlantic market, total passenger numbers were down 0.4% during the first five months of the year.
www.iata.org