This course will assist you to to formulate and implement strategies in order to create sustained competitive advantage and will provide you with a sound comprehension of how marketing concepts and theories can be applied to the air transport industry, considering its unique nature.  

Led by highly respected senior academics from one of the best aviation management faculties in the world, and supported by C-level guest lecturers from, among others, British Airways, this course provides an excellent grounding on the strategic management of and key marketing issues for airlines and associated organisations.

The course also provides a building block towards a Master’s level qualification in Air Transport Management should participants choose to complete an assignment based on learning during the week.

At a glance

  • Dates
    • 16 - 20 Mar 2026
  • DurationFive days
  • LocationCranfield campus/Online
  • Cost

    Short course: £2,500
    PgAward: £3,150 (home students) £3,675 (overseas students)*

    The course fee includes refreshments and lunch during the day. Accommodation is not included and must be booked separately.

    * These fees apply to all students whose initial date of registration falls on or between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025. Eligibility for Home fee status is determined with reference to UK Department for Education rules. As a guiding principle UK or Irish nationals who are ordinarily resident in either the UK or Republic of Ireland pay Home tuition fees. All other students (including those from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man) pay Overseas fees.

    Concessions available

Course structure

This five-day course is delivered face-to-face with the option to attend sessions live online (supporting material is provided asynchronously). 

What you will learn

On successful completion of this course you will be able to: 

  • Identify, appraise and critique strategic management and marketing concepts applied by airlines and airports.
  • Assess how different strategies impact the competitiveness of airlines and airports, including the planning of products and the importance of product differentiation.
  • Examine the characteristics of the main segments of airline and airport markets.
  • Assess the links between advertising, pricing, promotion, branding and customer behaviour.

Core content

  • Introduction to strategic air transport management 
  • Core concepts of strategic management
  • Performing strategic analysis
  • Strategies used to respond to competition and competitive advantage
  • Airline business diversification strategies
  • Introduction to marketing
  • Consumer behaviour
  • Market segmentation
  • Airline and airport products
  • Customer experience and journey
  • Branding, promotional communication and loyalty
  • Distribution
  • Pricing and revenue management
  • Airport route development and marketing

Upgrade to a professional qualification

This course can be taken as a Postgraduate Award (PgAward). To receive a PgAward you will need to complete an assessment at the end of the course. 

This course is also a module on the Air Transport Management MSc (Executive).

Who should attend

This course is suitable for professionals in the air transport industry or those who want to move into this industry. 

Concessions

Group discount. Where three delegates or more are booking from within one site or one organisation, a discount of 10% will apply to the invoice for the course tuition fee. Accommodation fees are not included in the discount scheme. Please ask about our discount scheme at time of booking.

Accommodation options and prices

This is a non-residential course. If you would like to book accommodation on campus, please contact Mitchell Hall or Cranfield Management Development Centre directly. Further information regarding our accommodation on campus can be found here.

Alternatively you may wish to make your own arrangements at a nearby hotel.

Location and travel

Cranfield University is situated in Bedfordshire close to the border with Buckinghamshire. The University is located almost midway between the towns of Bedford and Milton Keynes and is conveniently situated between junctions 13 and 14 of the M1.

London Luton, Stansted and Heathrow airports are 30, 90 and 90 minutes respectively by car, offering superb connections to and from just about anywhere in the world. 

For further location and travel details

Location address

Cranfield University
College Road
Cranfield
Bedford 
MK43 0AL

How to apply

To apply for this course please use the online application form.

Apply now

Read our Professional development (CPD) booking conditions.