Atlanta, Centennial Olympic Park

Winston Churchill likened the US to a giant boiler, writes Colin Ellson. “Once the fire is lighted under it,” he said, “there is no limit to the power it can generate.”

The flame might have flickered during the global financial crisis, but a recent report by the Bureau of Economic Analysis was optimistic. It showed America’s economy flared by almost three per cent in 2010 compared to 2009. Now, the experts are reasonably optimistic for 2011, forecasting up to a 3.5 per cent increase both sides of the border.

It’s early days, of course, but the tentative signs are that North America is again open for business with UK plc, although both markets are demanding. Nevertheless, there is potential in the automotive, oil, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and IT industries.
The easy part is getting across the Atlantic to the negotiating table, with direct flights to every city in our survey. The only caveat is that Continental is currently integrating its operations with United following their recent merger. The combined schedule will feature up to 24 services a day to North America, but for now we’ve listed their existing separate schedules.

In the meantime, there is no excuse for not arranging your company’s schedule to seek out new business in a region gradually regaining its mojo.

United states
Atlanta
The capital of Georgia houses the global headquarters of multinationals such as Coca-Cola, UPS and mobile phone service provider AT&T Mobility. Atlanta also has a large financial sector, and its industries include textiles and chemicals.

British Airways flies from London Heathrow to Atlanta daily, Delta 11 times a week. The US carrier also serves the city daily from London Gatwick and Manchester. Air France departs twice-daily from Paris Charles de Gaulle, KLM once a day out of Amsterdam Schiphol.

Boston
A major player in the American War of Independence, the capital of Massachusetts attracts 20 million visitors a year to its historic sites. In addition to tourism, the city’s economy is based on hi-tech industries, financial services and three convention centres.

From Heathrow, BA and American Airlines both fly to Boston three times a day, Delta twice-daily, and Virgin Atlantic daily. Continental flies via New York, Icelandair via Reykjavik, Air France has 14 flights a week from Paris CDG, and Aer Lingus a daily departure from Dublin.

Chicago
Beside the Indian Ocean, the capital of Western Australia is both a government administrative centre and business hub. Its economy is based predominantly on mining, petroleum production, agriculture and the service industries.

Qantas offers two flights a day from London Heathrow to Perth flying via Singapore, with Emirates providing the same frequency out of its Dubai hub.

Dallas
Remembered for the assassination of JFK, and the Seventies hit TV series, Dallas is less well-known as the inventor of the microchip, giving it a lead in computer technology that it has maintained. Other economic drivers include banking, telecoms and energy.

American serves Dallas from Heathrow 20 times a week, BA daily. Continental flies via New York and KLM from Schiphol.

Detroit
The traditional home of the US automobile industry, Detroit suffered when Ford, General Motors and Chrysler ran headlong into recession in 2009. Restructured, the Big Three are again motors of the city’s economy, together with a raft of emerging technologies.

Delta operates the only direct service from Heathrow to Detroit, flying ten times a week. Alternatives include American from London or Manchester via Chicago, and Continental via New York, while Air France offers a daily service from Paris CDG.

Denver
Located one mile above sea level, the capital of Colorado is the ideal base for a number of telecoms companies, which can “one-bounce” data to satellites serving six continents. Denver is also big into financial services, mining and sunrise technologies.

BA operates the only direct service to Denver, flying from Heathrow daily. Otherwise, American departs from Heathrow and Manchester, flying via Chicago and Dallas, while Continental operates from London Heathrow through New York.

Houston
Houston is home to the Texas Medical Centre, which includes the world’s top concentration of healthcare and research institutes. In addition, the US space programme is controlled from NASA’s Johnson Space Centre, and the city is a global leader in the energy sector.

From Heathrow, Continental Airlines serves Houston twice-daily, BA 12 times a week, and there are frequent flights with American via Chicago, Dallas and Miami, plus a daily service from Manchester via Chicago. Air France flies daily out of Paris CDG, and KLM 13 times a week from Schiphol.

Las Vegas
The recession dealt the world’s gambling capital a bad hand, but there are signs of recovery, with the city fathers hedging their bets in aiming to diversify the economy.

British Airways and Virgin both serve Las Vegas daily from Heathrow and Gatwick respectively, while frequent connecting services are available with American Airlines via its various US hubs and Continental through New York and Houston.

Los Angeles
The largest manufacturing centre in the American west, LA is involved in everything from aerospace to petrochemicals and finance to telecoms, while Hollywood has been entertaining the world for around 100 years.

From Heathrow, BA and Virgin fly to Los Angeles twice-daily; United, American and Air New Zealand daily. Continental, Air France and KLM serve the city from their respective hubs.

Miami
Passengers boarding ships in the world’s top cruise port might think the glitzy city on the Atlantic is simply a leisure playground. It is, however, one of America’s most important financial centres.

British Airways serves Miami from Heathrow twice-daily, with Virgin, Delta, and American flying daily. Continental, Air France and KLM operate flights via from their respective hubs.

Minneapolis/St Paul
Following the decline in heavy industries in the mid-20th century, the twin Minnesota cities have undergone an impressive transformation, introducing the service, hi-tech, finance and information technology sectors.

Delta flies to Minneapolis/St Paul daily from Heathrow, with Icelandair offering the same frequency ex-Reykjavik. American and Continental serve the city via their US hubs.

New York City
Almost nine million people, speaking some 800 languages, are crammed into cosmopolitan New York City, with a large number of foreign corporations employing 10 per cent of the work force. Controlling 40 per cent of the world’s finances, it is also the headquarters of the UN.

In total, BA, Virgin, Air India/Kuwait Airways, Continental, Delta and American offer over 180 direct flights a week from Heathrow to New York JFK and New York Newark. In addition, BA flies double-daily from London City to JFK, and Continental serves Newark daily from Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birmingham and Belfast. Aer Lingus flies twice-daily to JFK from Dublin, four times a week ex-Shannon, and Icelandair, Air France and KLM operate frequent departures from their hubs.

Phoenix
Its economy once mainly reliant on agriculture, the subtropical state capital of Arizona has moved with the times, encouraging hi-tech, financial services, research and telecoms companies to set up shop in town.

BA provides the only direct flights from Heathrow to Phoenix, flying six times a week, while American and Continental operate from their respective US hubs.

San Francisco
The scenic City by the Bay is one of America’s top tourist destinations. But while visitors contribute £5billion a year to its coffers, it is also a principal financial centre.

From Heathrow, BA and United fly to San Francisco twice-daily, with Virgin offering a daily service. Continental, Air France and KLM operate from their respective hubs.

Washington DC
Virtually recession-proof due to huge government expenditure on local goods and services, the United States’ capital city not only rode out the recent financial crisis but continues to prosper. The east coast city is home to various lobbying groups, and the headquarters of the World Bank and the IMF.

From Heathrow, United flies direct to DC four times a day, British Airways flies thrice-daily and Virgin operates a daily service. Frequent services are provided by Icelandair, Air France and KLM from their respective hubs.

Canada
Calgary
Its economy forecast to grow by four per cent in 2011, the largest city in Alberta claims to have rebounded from the recession in style. Some 87 per cent of Canada’s oil and natural gas producers are based here.

British Airways and Air Canada both serve Calgary daily from London Heathrow, while American flies via Chicago and Dallas, and from Manchester through Chicago. Continental flies frm Houston and KLM flies from Schiphol.

Montréal
Predominantly French-speaking, the largest city in the province of Québec is a key centre for commerce, aerospace, finance, technology, pharmaceuticals, tourism and a burgeoning video games industry.

Air Canada operates from London Heathrow to Montréal twice-daily, with British Airways flying daily. American Airlines and Continental both serve the Canadian city from London via New York. Air France and KLM fly from their respective European hubs.

Ottawa
The Canadian capital city’s economy is largely stimulated by government spending and fuelled by the widespread petroleum and natural gas industries. The region is also a rising force in the advanced technology sector.

Air Canada offers the only direct service from London Heathrow to Ottawa, flying daily. American has two flights a day from London, one a day out of Manchester, all via Chicago, and Continental flies from New York.

Toronto
Canada’s largest city is its financial hub and the focus of immigration to the country. A raft of industries includes telecoms, aerospace, film and TV production and medical research.

From Heathrow, Air Canada flies to the eastern city four times a day and British Airways flies twice-daily. American Airlines operates via Chicago and New York, with Continental also offering a frequent service from the Big Apple. Icelandair, Air France and KLM all serve Toronto from their main bases.

Vancouver
On Canada’s Pacific coast, scenically splendid Vancouver has the largest and busiest port in the country, trading with the nations of the Pacific Rim and handling over one million cruise passengers a year. The city’s biggest industry is forestry.

Air Canada flies daily from Heathrow direct to Vancouver with other one-stop options; BA flies 12 times a week. Continental flies via New York, American via Dallas, and KLM ex-Schiphol.

the carbon cost
The table below shows the distance covered by a return flight between two destinations on a number of selected domestic routes, along with the approximate carbon emissions and the cost of offsetting it with The CarbonNeutral Company. For more information, see: www.carbonneutral.com