Latest research 83% of employees struggle with travel expenses, with 1 in 4 business travelers taking the financial strain themselves

3 MIN READ

  • New data uncovers the hidden financial toll of outdated expense processes on employees and finance teams 
  • From delayed reimbursements for 28% of employees, confusion on claim policies (19%) to employees risking the use of their personal credit cards (26%), it’s clear that more can be done to lighten the load
  • Nearly 1 in 4 (24%) employees who travel for work say automating expenses with AI is key to improving their experience
Chicago, US – June 4, 2025 – Perk (formerly TravelPerk) , the global  business travel and expense management platform, today publishes new research uncovering the hidden financial toll of outdated expense processes on employees and finance teams alike. The survey, carried out on 4,000 business travelers, shows 83% of employees struggle to reconcile trip expenses. Over a quarter of business travelers (26%) use their personal credit cards for large purchases. But with 28% facing delayed reimbursements, those that choose to use their personal credit cards risk late payment fees and surcharges furthering the personal financial burden.
 "Travel expenses dominate company P&Ls, yet most businesses still subject employees to manual, disconnected processes that our research shows creates real financial hardship," said Roy Hefer, CFO at Perk. "When 83% of employees struggle with expenses and over a quarter use personal credit cards, this becomes more than an efficiency problem. By embedding policy at the point of booking and through the expense claim process, automating things like receipt matching with AI, and optimizing the whole process, you’re not only freeing up your employees’ day from unnecessary paperwork, but also giving them back their time to focus on what really matters.”
How companies can make the expense management process smoother:
  1. Clarity on travel and expense policies at the point of booking: Nearly 1 in 5 employees (19%) say they don’t know what’s reimbursable, and 1 in 4 (25%) worry about going over budget. By embedding policy guidelines directly into the booking and checkout process, companies can eliminate uncertainty and drive better compliance from the start.
  2. Automate for efficiency: 1 in 4 employees (24%) say their expense process is too complicated, and the same number say they simply don’t have the time to submit claims. When asked how AI could improve the work travel experience, nearly a quarter (24%) of employees named automated expense processing as their priority.
  3. Use an integrated end-to-end platform to book and manage travel and expenses: More than a third (36%) of employees still book business travel through consumer travel platforms, while 25% admit to losing receipts during their travel. This leaves finance teams scrambling to reconcile expenses, wasting hours chasing down approvals, and makes visibility challenging.
GVB , a leading European mobility provider, rolled out expense automation earlier this year. “It used to take maybe 10–15 minutes to enter an expense report. Now it’s 10 seconds flat—a timesaving factor of 60,” said Philipp Röthlisberger, Member of GVB's Innovation Board. GVB estimates this efficiency has delivered 300+ hours back to its team annually.
Methodology:
Perk commissioned research company OnePoll to conduct a survey between March 12 and March 19, 2025. Fieldwork was completed over 5–7 working days and involved 4,000 participants—1,000 each from the UK, US, Germany, and Spain—who travel for business. The sample was collected through an online quantitative survey to ensure consistency and comparability across markets.
About Perk
Perk is the global business travel and expense management platform. Since its founding in 2015, it has been reshaping the way companies manage travel for work, combining cutting-edge technology with a human touch. Trusted by global brands like Red Bull, Fujifilm, and Nord Security, Perk offers a seamless all-in-one platform that simplifies travel booking, streamlines expense management, and boosts productivity for businesses of all sizes. With a commitment to flexibility, cost control, and efficiency, Perk helps businesses save time, reduce costs, and focus on what matters most.
Visit www.perk.com for more information.
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