With no fewer than nine airlines battling it out, the London-New York route is arguably the most competitive in the world when it comes to long-haul travel. Currently, there are more than 170 flights a week, offering something in the order of 50,000 seats between three UK airports – Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted - and two in the US – JFK and Newark. From the UK, there are also various regional services.

The arrival of two all-business carriers on the scene in the past six months, possibly to be joined by a third later this year, has merely raised the stakes, offering travelers an even greater choice.

Round-trip fares range from around US$500 (€368) for an Economy ticket to a hefty US$12,600 (€9,868) for the well-heeled traveling in First. There is a considerable variation in Business class tariffs, with the newcomers both under-cutting the legacy carriers. Maxjet, which is a cut-price operator, is charging US$2,241 (€1,755), whereas Eos, with its superior service, is still good value at US$5,252 (€4,113).

The average non-stop flight time is around seven-and-a-half-hours westbound and seven hours traveling in the reverse direction. Alternatively, there are indirect flights via Reykjavik (Icelandair) or Dublin (Aer Lingus), which add around two hours to the total journey time.

Lie-flat seats, stand-up bars and meals in lounges prior to overnight departures are among the inducements on offer. The two all-business carriers both operate between London Stansted and JFK. Eos offers the more exclusive service, with 48 flat-bed seats and a 78in pitch on specially configured Boeing 757s. Maxjet, operating Boeing 767s, provides a low-cost service with 102 seats and a 60in pitch along with all the traditional business class facilities, including lounges, pre-departure drinks, portable on-demand in-flight entertainment and an amenity kit.

Some of the carriers offer complimentary limousine transfers in London, and the main players all have arrival lounges where overnight travelers can have a wash and brush up before heading off for the first meeting of the day.

And now, with an open skies agreement in prospect, competition across the Atlantic is likely to get a whole lot greater. Watch this space.