Business Travel Statistics: 100+ Key Trends & Data Points [2026]

20 Jan 2025 · 14 MIN READ

Updated: May 2026

Did you know that the U.S. business travel industry accounts for nearly 2% of the country's GDP and 3.5% of employment ?With an increase in international business travel and higher travel expenditure, the travel industry is adapting to new demands in 2026. From business travel trends to key industry shifts, we’ve collected statistics that show how corporate travel is evolving in North America. Plus, we’ve also assessed data from our business travel booking platform to share never-before-seen statistics to help you plan ahead.

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What does business travel in 2026 and beyond look like?

Global business travel spending reached $1.47 trillion in 2024, a record high at the time. ( GBTA )
Global business travel spending is projected to surpass $2 trillion by 2029. ( Capterra )
62% of CEOs reported increasing their travel budgets in 2024 compared to the previous year. ( Perk )
61% of US companies increased their business travel budgets in 2024. (Perk)
Mid-sized businesses with 201–2,000 employees were the most likely to increase business travel spending, with 51% doing so — ahead of large enterprises (50%) and SMBs (43%). (Perk)
The top drivers of increased travel budgets were expansion into new markets (47%), attending more conferences and events (45%), and growing headcount (39%). (Perk)
Environmental sustainability concerns were cited by 27% of companies as a reason for cutting travel budgets. (Perk)
Americans make more than 405 million business trips annually, equating to over 1 million business travelers every day. ( Hotel Tech Report )

Is your team traveling more for business?

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Corporate travelers are looking for purpose, perks, and personal growth

Business travelers are booking longer, more ‘purposeful’ trips to make the most of the experience. ( Advantage Travel Partnership )
Business travelers are most excited about the following facilities:
- Hotel bars (51%)
- On-site fitness facilities (51%)
- Indoor/outdoor pools (48%)
- On-site relaxation facilities (46%)
When asked what excites them most about business travel, employees highlighted (Booking.com):
- All-paid dining options (52%)
- Luxury accommodations (47%)
- Per diem allowances (34%)
- Premium benefits (33%)
When traveling internationally, travelers report a strong impact on (Booking.com):
- Personal development (90%)
- Self-awareness (87%)
- Mental health (77%)
- Physical health (74%)
- Family/relationships (64%)

Your travel planning windows will be shorter. You’ll look for tickets and accommodation closer to your departure date than you did before. Data from our own platform reveals that searches for trips less than 6 days away are now almost equal to searches for trips between 7 and 30 days away. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the vast majority of trips were searched for and planned 7 to 30 days in advance (Perk).

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Here’s everything you need to know to modernize your business travel management

US business travel statistics: The cost of business travel

US business travel spending reached $317 billion in 2025 and is forecast to grow to $319 billion in 2026. ( U.S. Travel Association )
Business travelers typically spend around $1,018 per trip. ( PhotoAiD )
It costs an average of $354.55 for domestic travel trips in most major American cities (including California and Massachusetts). ( Forbes )
Accommodation accounts for the largest portion of a typical corporate travel budget at 34%, followed by meals at 20%, and flights ranging between 17% to 27%. ( Hotel Tech Report )
UK residents spend £5.16 billion abroad on business trips. ( Finder )
The latest research shows that business travelers to the UK spent £5 billion, representing 19% of all spend by inbound visitors. ( Visit Britain )
Business travelers to the UK generally stay for fewer nights than leisure travelers (5 nights vs. 8 nights), but they spend more than double per night (£209 vs. £101). (Visit Britain)
63% of business spending in the UK occurs in London. (Visit Britain)
Canada is among the fastest-growing business travel markets globally, with double-digit spending growth projected in the year 2025. ( GBTA )
Canadian business travelers spend an average of $884 per business trip. (GBTA)
55% of Canadian business travelers combine leisure travel with their business trips more than in 2019. (GBTA)
The average cost of an international business trip is around $2,600. ( Hotel Tech Report )
The per diem rate for high-cost areas in the US is $319, while for non-high-cost areas, it's $225. ( IRS )

The US is getting expensive, like Switzerland

New York City ranked as both the most expensive and most popular US city for business travel in 2025. ( Hickory Global Partners )
London now tops the European rankings as both the most expensive and most popular business travel destination, with Paris ranking second most expensive. ( Hickory Global Partners )
Four of the top ten most expensive cities for business travel globally are located in the United States. ( Statista )
Amsterdam, Singapore, and Toronto consistently maintain high average daily rates for business travel due to their local economies, while also attracting travelers looking to combine business and leisure. (Hickory Global Partners)

Further recommended reading:

What’s the average cost of business travel?

The way we travel for business is changing

AI and sustainability are reshaping the travel industry, moving beyond buzzwords to become key priorities. From increasing AI investments to a stronger focus on sustainable travel options, both travelers and businesses are driving this transformation.

AI and sustainability are more than just trends

Nearly half of travel suppliers and travel management companies report experimenting with AI, while around one third of travel buyers say their organizations are doing the same. ( GBTA )
83% of executives reported increasing their AI budgets in 2024. ( Skift )
Only 10% of travelers prefer chatbots to support them when facing disruption. ( Perk )
65% of business travel professionals are interested in AI for pricing optimization, and 64% for predictive analytics, but only 27% anticipate AI will significantly transform their roles in the next five years. ( GBTA )
Over 70% of travelers are drawn to OTAs and providers that emphasize sustainable travel options. ( GSTC )
First and business-class bookings have fallen, while economy bookings rose by 7.69%. ( Advantage Travel Partnership )
Around 70% of employees are unaware of their company’s green policies for corporate travel . ( Passport Photo Online )
Roughly 90% of working professionals believe their company has prioritized sustainability. (Passport Photo Online)

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Why and how business travelers travel

Conferences, trade events, and exhibitions are growing reasons for corporate trips.

Fewer day-return flights, more group travel and conferences

In 2019, 19% of short-haul flights (under 2 hours) booked on the Perk platform were day-return trips. By 2023, this figure had dropped to just 9%. ( Perk )
The average business trip now costs $1,128 per person, up from $834 in 2024. ( GBTA )
Domestic group travel is forecast to grow faster than overall business travel in 2026, reaching $118 billion. ( U.S. Travel Association )
Nearly two-thirds of business travelers expected to attend a conference in 2025, making it the single biggest driver of business travel volume. ( Deloitte )
One in five frequent travelers travel for sales or project work more than once a month. (Deloitte)

Perk can help you organize group travel for events with ease — and take advantage of great group travel discounts!

Business travel industry trends and impact

It’s more important than ever to measure corporate travel ROI and give employees the freedom to book within company policy.(If you don't already have a business travel policy set up, you can use our travel and expense policy template to get you started!)

There’s a strong link between corporate travel and business growth

The majority of business travel decision-makers believe that higher travel budgets lead to increased company revenue (64%) and profitability (59%). ( Perk )
For SMBs and mid-sized companies, every dollar spent on business travel generates an average of $12 in revenue, largely driven by new customer acquisition. (Perk)
34% of C-suite leaders credited a third of their company's sales growth in 2023 to traveling for in-person meetings. (Perk)
Overall, 67% of business travelers believe their company would lose revenue without in-person meetings, while 95% of C-suite executives think they would lose customers. (Perk)

Corporate travel managers need access to better technology

90% of travel and expense management decision-makers want to auto-enforce travel policy compliance. ( Brex )
94% of travel and expense management decision-makers want an all-in-one solution that includes travel, reimbursements, expense management, and corporate cards. (Brex)
Only 58% of travel and expense management decision-makers understand all their travel-related fees. (Brex)
42% of travel and expense management decision-makers consider the ease of use of their expense solution a major challenge. 31% have problems integrating with other software, such as accounting systems. (Brex)
Nearly one in three travel buyers reevaluated or changed their Travel Management Company in 2025, with 39% citing dissatisfaction with TMC technology and 37% citing service quality concerns as the main reasons. ( GBTA )
Around two-thirds of companies use an online expense reporting platform with a mobile app. ( Finances Online )
47% of corporate travel managers identified geopolitical tensions as their top challenge in 2026, ahead of technology adoption and dynamic pricing concerns. ( Business Travel Show Europe )
45% of travel managers say negotiating with hotels has become more challenging in the last five years. (Cvent)
Only 59% of travel managers regularly share travel-related performance metrics with senior leadership. ( GBTA and Spotnana )

Mobile bookings are growing

40% of business travelers book their hotel stays via smartphones. ( Hotel Tech Report )
56% of business travelers book their own hotel rooms and flights, while 44% have someone else handle the bookings for them. (Hotel Tech Report)
72% of travel bookings in Q1 2025 were completed online, with over 45% made via mobile devices. ( Statista )
In 2025, mobile accounts for nearly half of all online travel bookings globally, continuing to close the gap with desktop. ( Perk )

Traveler satisfaction and concerns

Traveler satisfaction is key to a successful corporate travel program . Take a look at these surveys into the frustrations and desires of business travelers. And don’t forget to set up your own internal surveys for your road warriors.

What travelers want

When it comes to airline business travel statistics, over half of travelers (54%) want to deal directly with airlines, increasingly via mobile apps, while airline websites remain the most popular booking preference at 31%. ( IATA )
Only 16% of travelers prefer a booking method that includes human interaction. ( IATA )
Travelers' top pre-travel demand is convenience — 71% book travel online or via a mobile app, and convenience was the main reason passengers chose their payment method. ( IATA )
Satisfaction with biometric use at airports has reached 86%, with 50% of travelers now using biometrics at some point in their airport journey — up from 46% in 2024. ( IATA )
When issues arise, 33% of global travelers prefer speaking with a human customer service representative. ( Perk )
Most travelers value technology helpful for reducing travel stress, with 89% valuing mobile planning apps and 86% appreciating features like automatic rebooking, digital bag tracking, integrated booking, and digital travel documents. ( Amadeus )
78% of travelers want to use AI during the accommodation booking process. ( Siteminder )
24% of global business travelers plan to take a friend or family member with them on a business trip next year. ( Hilton )

What business travelers are concerned about

Flight cancellations are the leading concern for business travelers, with 35% saying a cancelled flight is the single biggest trip-killer, followed by bad weather (15%) and poor planning (13%). ( Global Rescue )
Business travelers face more friction than leisure travelers, especially with price comparisons (44% vs. 39%), fees (42% vs. 36%), and finding accommodations (45% vs. 33%). ( Amadeus )
Over half of travelers have abandoned online bookings after a bad experience. ( Siteminder )
On average, 40% of travelers are checking travel updates more often due to delays, while 35% now favor booking options with flexible cancellation policies. ( Perk )
The biggest challenge for business travelers when booking trips is finding budget-friendly options (34%), followed by finding options that fit their schedules (30%). (Perk)
Flight delays in 2025 cost travelers an average of $484 per disruption, with nearly 248 million US passengers affected. ( AirHelp via Aviation A2Z )
74% of travelers say minimizing their environmental footprint while traveling for business is important. ( Hilton )

Millennial and Gen Z business travel statistics

These days, Millennial and Gen Z stats are making headlines. Their demographic makes up the biggest percentage of business travelers worldwide, so they’re valuable generations for the business travel industry to understand.

Millennials and Gen Z are the most frequent business travelers

Gen Z and millennials now dominate US travel demand, with Gen Z and millennials accounting for the largest and fastest-growing share of business travelers. ( Deloitte )
26% of Baby Boomers planned to travel for business in 2024. (Hilton)
Almost 60% of Millennials believe that technology can never replace face-to-face business meetings. ( GBTA )
Millennials are 60% more likely to purchase flight add-ons like extra legroom or in-flight entertainment. ( Rydoo )
Gen Z sees business travel as key to their careers, with 81% believing it boosts their appeal to potential employers and 83% feeling it creates more promotion opportunities at their current company. ( Globetrender )
76% of Gen Z employees say business travel influences their decision to stay with their employer. ( Perk )

Most Millennials and Gen Z employees are happy with their ability to self-book — but what are their booking preferences?

Millennials and Gen Z prefer direct online channels for flight bookings. ( Skift )
75% of Millennials and Gen Z hotel guests are more likely to book a stay at a hotel offering self-service technology. ( Skift )
74% of Millennials and Gen Z say travel is a non-negotiable expense, and a significant share would take a job with fewer benefits if it offered more flexibility to travel. ( American Express 2026 Global Travel Trends Report )
96% of Gen Z business travelers say they'd turn down a trip that doesn't meet their expectations. A third would decline due to a lack of flexibility to adjust the trip outside of company policy. ( SAP Concur Global Business Travel Survey )

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Millennials and Gen Z value relaxation, leisure activities, and well-being during business travel

43% of Millennials have extended their business travel trip for leisure. ( Statista )
79% of Gen Z employees want to travel for work to explore new places. ( Perk )
41% of Gen Z employees would like their company to allow them to extend the duration of trips. (Perk)
Gen Z employees prioritize well-being during business travel; 34% would like to be able to submit travel expenses for activities such as yoga or exercise classes. (Perk)
36% of Millennials prioritize indulgence and pampering during business travel. ( Hilton )
78% of Gen Z employees want to feel pampered when they travel for business. (Hilton)
43% of Millennials and 38% of Gen Zs plan on taking a flexcation trip within the next year. ( Expedia )

Business versus leisure travel statistics

Question: What’s the difference between business and pleasure these days?Answer: It all comes down to who’s picking up the tab.

Bleisure is becoming increasingly popular

The global bleisure travel market was valued at $762 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $850 billion in 2026. ( Fortune Business Insights )
83% of business travelers have taken a bleisure trip in the past year, and 89% want to extend their next business trip to include leisure time. ( Hotel Tech Report )
76% of business travelers plan to take a bleisure trip in the next 12 months. ( Expedia )
17% of bleisure trips last four nights or more, 31% span three nights, 39% are two-night stays, and only 12% of travelers opt for a single-night getaway. ( Stratos )
67% of bleisure trips start with a conference, 46% with external meetings, 42% with sales opportunities, and 30% with internal appointments. (Stratos)
New York City tops the list for bleisure trips annually, with Paris taking second place and London coming third. ( Statista )
88% of bleisure trips in the United States are domestic business trips. ( Hotel Tech Report )
Nearly half of American Airlines' $13 billion revenue in 2022 was driven by bleisure travel. (Hotel Tech Report)
31% of corporate travel risk policies do not cover the leisure portion of bleisure trips. (Hotel Tech Report)
36% of business travelers take overnight business trips every two to three months, 23% every one to two months, and 5% take weekly trips. (Hotel Tech Report)

Spending on leisure trips is higher, but business travel is more profitable

In the United States, 69.8% of travel spending goes toward leisure, while 30.2% is for business. Outside of the UK, the U.S. leads in business travel spending globally. ( Statista )
While business travelers account for only 12% of all airline passengers, their airfare is twice as profitable for airlines because they are loyal, use frequent flyer programs, buy amenities like extra legroom, and make more last-minute bookings. ( Investopedia )
Business travelers account for around 75% of airlines’ profits. (Investopedia)

First-class travel isn’t affected by the purpose of the trip

The most recent research shows that 19% of U.S. travelers will board a first-class flight for leisure. Meanwhile, 20% fly first class for business trips. in ( Statista and Statista )

Rogue bookings

Compliance with travel policies is often a big challenge for travel managers. Thankfully, technology has advanced, and new corporate travel booking tools on the market can help make out-of-policy bookings a thing of the past.

Do business travelers follow corporate travel policies?

60% of companies have a corporate travel policy in place, yet over half of business travelers are free to book using any method they prefer. ( Lodging )
Hotels are most frequently booked outside of the approved channel. 46% of business travelers choose consumer sites for better prices. (Lodging)
52% of employees feel their company's corporate travel policy moderately aligns with its wider culture ( Medium )
79% of employees believe their company’s travel policy prioritizes cost and time savings over employee well-being and happiness. (Medium)
A travel management tool can boost compliance with corporate travel policies. Advanced booking solutions leverage powerful automation to help organizations achieve 100% compliance.

Ready to provide your business travelers with an easy-to-use booking app packed with powerful features for administrators and finance?

Download our guide to choosing a business travel solution that lets travelers book independently while giving you the ability to monitor, track, and control.