Business Travel Statistics By Regions, Safety, Generations And Facts (2025)

Introduction

Business Travel Statistics: Business travel is making a strong comeback—and it’s changing fast. After the slowdown during the pandemic, more companies are sending employees on work trips again; however, the way they travel and the reasons behind it have undergone significant shifts. This topic is important because business travel impacts company spending, work performance, team connections, and employee satisfaction.

In this article, “Business Travel Statistics “, you’ll find the latest numbers on business travel, including how much money is being spent, what travellers are doing, the most popular places to go, and how remote work is changing things. We’ll also highlight major trends for 2025 so you can see where the business travel industry is now and what’s coming next.

Editor’s Choice

• Around 1.3 million people in the U.S. travel for work every day.
• Women are taking more business trips than ever before— 45% of U.S. business travellers are now female.
• Over 40% of work trips are extended for personal enjoyment or relaxation.
• Americans take more than 400 million long-distance work trips each year.
• Most business trips are short, under 250 miles.
• Only about 7% of business trips go farther than 1,000 miles from where they started.
• Nearly 20% of all travel is work-related.
• 63% of Indian organisations cite cost optimisation as their priority for business travel in 2025.
• Businesses use the AtYourPrice report to achieve a 7% to 10% decrease in travel costs through new lifetime features, including real-time fare updates and low-fare search options.
• Domestic travel accounts for almost 80% of the business bookings in India.
• By the end of 2025, 82% of corporate travellers will prefer platforms that offer real-time, dynamic, and up-to-date inventory for hotels, flights, and transportation.
• Around 85% of Indian corporates plan to use advanced travel management platforms by 2025.
• Due to automation, manual tasks have been reduced by 40% while also improving alignment with the corporate travel policy.
• Around 48% of Indian companies’ travellers now extend their corporate business travels while maintaining the company’s budget.
• Virtual payment for the company’s travel is set to increase by 40% in 2025.
• Seventy-four per cent of businesses are starting to optimise travel costs and identify cost-saving opportunities.

Bleisure Statistics

• The worldwide Bleisure travel industry is predicted to grow 500% by 20233, as per Statista.
• In 2024, the worldwide Bleisure travel market is expected to be worth USD 430 billion, up from USD 394 billion in 2023, representing a 9.3% CAGR.
• In 2023, U.S. corporate travellers spent about 22 days a year on business trips, with the average trip lasting 3.8 days.
• In the UK, 42% of travellers added personal leisure time to their business trips in 2023 (IHG).
• A U.S. survey found that 84% of business travellers wanted to mix in some vacation time on their next work trip, and 48% had already done this in the past year.

(Reference: precedenceresearch.com)

• In the chart above, we can see the Bleisure Travel Market Size from 2024 to 2034.
• 62% of CEOs said they plan to spend more on corporate travel in 2024.
• Marriott’s 2022 report showed that business trip stays were 20% longer than in 2019, showing a steady rise in “bleisure” travel.
• In 2023, 66% of business travellers extended at least one work trip for personal time, and 14% did it three or more times.
• Eighty per cent of professionals said that business travel helps both their personal and career growth.
• Around the world, 34% of Gen Z and Millennial travellers plan to extend a 2024 work trip to enjoy extra leisure time.
• Among those who had taken a bleisure trip before, 46% said they would do it again.

(Reference: precedenceresearch.com)

• In the above chart, we can see the U.S Bleisure Travel Market Size from 2024 to 2034.
• By 2024, 24% of global business travellers said they plan to bring a family member or friend on a business trip.
• 57% of employees admitted that they choose business destinations partly based on whether their loved ones would also enjoy them.

(Source: hoteltechreport.com)

• 79% of Gen Z professionals want to travel for work to see new places, compared to 72% of Millennials and 60% of Gen X. Additionally, 41% of Gen Z employees want their companies to allow them to add vacation time to their work trips.
• 82% of Bleisure travellers prefer staying in the same hotel for the entire trip, helping companies save money on extended stays.
• Business travel also helps with job satisfaction. 90% of professionals say they want to keep travelling for work for the rest of their careers.
• A 2023 survey found 76% of U.S. workers experience negative effects when they don’t take time off. 41% reported burnout, followed by boredom (36%), irritability (30%), and depression (29%).

Global and Regional Business Travel Spending Statistics

• In 2023, the worldwide business travel industry was valued at USD689.7 billion, and it is predicted to grow to USD2.1 trillion by 2031, with a CAGR of 9.5% between 2021 and 2031.
• By 2024, the worldwide business travel market is expected to rebound to its pre-pandemic level of USD 1.3 trillion and grow to around USD 1.8 trillion by 2027.

• The worldwide business travel expense is expected to increase by 12.2% in 2025.

• In 2024, China’s business travel expenditure was predicted to hit USD 360.756 billion, with the United States following at USD 329,123 billion.
• Although only 20% of the trip is state-funded, business travellers account for 40% to 60% of the air and lodging costs in the travel industry.
• The worldwide meetings industry is predicted to reach almost USD 1.35 billion by 2024.

Most Expensive Business Trip Statistics

(Source: ecommercebonsai.com)

• Taking a business trip to New York City is the most expensive, with an average cost of around USD 1,633.
• Other pricey cities for work travel include San Francisco at USD 1,603, Boston at USD 1,552, Seattle at USD 1,441, Washington, D.C. at USD 1,429, and Los Angeles at USD 1,395.

International Business Travel Facts

• When it comes to work-related travel, companies usually spend the most on meals, even more than on flights or hotel stays.
• About 54% of business travellers say they want real-time alerts during their trips.
• In Asia, Hong Kong is the most expensive city for business travellers, with the average daily cost reaching USD515.

The typical business travel budget includes the following:

#1. 34% for hotels,

#2. 27% for flights,

#3. 20% for food,

#4. 19% for rental cars.

• Zurich, Switzerland, is the costliest city for taxi rides out of all the cities included in the study.
• In contrast, India has the cheapest taxi fares, with Bangalore, Mumbai, and New Delhi topping the list for low-cost rides.
• To get the best airfare prices, travellers should book flights between 21 and 121 days before departure. That time frame offers the lowest average fares.

(Reference: statista.com)

The most expensive airports for business travellers—based on meal prices, taxi costs, lounge access, and parking—are:

• London Stansted (about £608.29),
• Amsterdam (around £567.35),
• London Gatwick (roughly £520.53).

The best-value airports for business trips, based on the same categories, are:

• Barcelona (~£236.36),
• Belfast International (~£228.28),
• Beijing (~£170.03). (FairFX Blog, 2018)

The most common problems faced by business travellers include:

• Flight delays (65.7%),
• Cancellations (31.9%),
• Paying work expenses with personal credit cards (30.5%),
• High prices on company travel booking tools (29.3%),
• Lack of support while travelling (23%).

Business Travel Safety Statistics

• 44% of business travellers have decided not to travel because they didn’t feel safe at the destination.
• Top concerns include local unrest (35%) and risky transportation (33%).
• 37% of workers say they feel anxious or unsafe while on work trips.
• 23% of business travellers faced some emergency during the past year.
• Approximately 12% of employees would decline a trip if they believed the location was unsafe.
• 83% of women travelling for work say they’re especially concerned about their safety and want more support.
• Over half (53%) of travel emergencies in 2024 were health-related, mostly from getting sick, while 47% were due to injuries.
• 28% of travellers said they came into contact with tropical diseases during business trips.
• Emergency evacuations went up by 17%, and travel assistance requests grew by 18%, mostly due to health risks and extreme weather.
• Ongoing conflicts and restricted airspace have led to detours and higher airline costs in 2024.
• In the Asia-Pacific region, 65% of workers report that safety concerns are preventing them from travelling for work.
• Commercial air travel stayed very safe, with only seven fatal crashes out of more than 40 million flights in 2024.
• Still, air travel deaths rose from 72 in 2023 to 244 in 2024, which is still just 0.06 deaths per 1 million flights, lower than average.
• A major IT outage in 2024 (linked to CrowdStrike) caused around 17,000 flight cancellations, affecting more than 1.4 million passengers.

(Reference: prnewswire.com)

• Cyberattacks are becoming more common—security incidents in 2024 were 3x higher than in the previous year.
• Despite this, only 45% of mobile users utilise basic security tools, such as passwords or antivirus protection.
• 66% of business travellers now want to use AI tools to improve safety and manage problems during trips.
• Just 54% of travellers are required to book through their company’s official system, making it harder for employers to track them during emergencies.
• Almost 46% say their company doesn’t have a clear travel safety plan in place.
• Even so, 67%–72% of workers feel their employers care about their well-being while travelling.
• 68% say their company’s travel rules do focus on keeping people safe.
• 61% believe their company still needs to improve how it protects travelling employees, especially as 39% of travel managers expect more safety challenges in 2025.

Millennials and Gen Z Business Travel Statistics

• 38% of Gen Z and 45% of Millennials plan on taking a flexible vacation trip within the coming year.
• Around 78% of the Gen Z workers wish to feel more favoured when they travel for business.
• Around 36% of Millennials prioritise pampering and indulging during business travel.
• Nearly 41% of Gen Z workers would like their organisation to allow them to extend the duration of their business trips.
• Almost 79% of the Gen Z workers wish to travel for work to explore new locations.
• 75% of the Millennials and Gen Z guests at the hotel are more prone to book a hotel with self-service technology.
• Gen Z and Millennials expect direct online channels for booking flights.
• Almost 76% of Gen Z workers stated that business travel influences their decision to stay with their current employer.
• Millennials are 61% more likely to buy flight add-ons, such as in-flight entertainment and extra legroom.
• In 2024, Gen Z and Millennial workers are the biggest business travellers, with around 53% of each group planning to travel for office purposes.

Corporate Travel vs Sustainability Statistics

• 80% of companies say eco-friendly practices are an important part of their travel plans.
• Half of all businesses believe that sustainability is either “very important” or “extremely important.”
• Still, only 6% of organisations are willing to pay extra for greener travel options.
• Nearly 49% of companies believe that saving money is more important than being environmentally friendly when it comes to business trips.

(Reference: phocuswright.com)

• 60% of business leaders expect their companies to cut down on how much they spend on corporate travel in the future.
• Around 60% of travel planners think their company will lower travel costs by 10% to help reach sustainability goals.
• Just 1% of travel managers say their business is likely to cut corporate travel spending by more than 50% to reduce emissions.

• 78% of employees say their company allows them to take public transportation for work trips at least once in a while.
• However, 42% of business travellers admit they “never” or “hardly ever” use buses, trains, or subways during work-related travel.
• Nearly 47% of them say they ride public transit “sometimes” or “frequently” while on business trips.
• Less than 2% of workers on business trips opt for other eco-friendly travel options, such as electric scooters or bike-share apps.
• The business considers sustaining data to be essential; only 44% of bookings were made to provide it.

(Reference: phocuswright.com)

Travel Satisfaction and Concerns Statistics

• More than 70% of business flyers now prefer to book their flights using websites or mobile apps.
• Only 16% of travellers still prefer booking with help from a person.
• Before leaving, the top thing travellers want is to have all their trip info in one place.
• 64% of passengers are comfortable using biometric technology (such as face scans) to make airport lines faster.
• When something goes wrong, 33% of travellers around the world would rather talk to a real person than use an automated system.
• Most business travellers appreciate the technology that lowers stress. Eighty-nine per cent find mobile planning apps helpful, and 86% appreciate tools such as automatic rebooking, digital baggage tracking, one-stop booking, and electronic travel documents.
• 78% of travellers are open to using AI to help them find and book lodging.
• About 24% of business travellers worldwide are planning to bring a friend or family member along on a work trip in the next year.
• Almost 75% of business travellers say flight delays are their biggest worry. Not enough seating is the next major concern.
• Compared to leisure travellers, business travellers face more difficulties. They struggle more with comparing prices (44% vs. 39%), dealing with added fees (42% vs. 36%), and finding a place to stay (45% vs. 33%).
• Over half of all travellers have quit booking online after having a bad experience.
• Around 40% are now checking flight updates more often because of frequent delays, and 35% prefer to book trips that offer flexible cancellations.
• The biggest challenge in booking a business trip is finding something affordable (34%), followed by finding an option that fits their work schedule (30%).
• 74% of people who travel for work say it’s important to lower their environmental impact during their trips.

Conclusion

Business travel is often viewed as a prudent investment by many U.S. companies. It helps employees build professional relationships, go to important events, explore new opportunities, and meet clients in person. In 2022, the business travel market in the U.S. was valued at $201.3 billion.

The numbers presented in this article illustrate both the positive and negative aspects of business travel across various types of companies. Together, these facts help provide a clearer picture of how business travel is being utilised and what its future may hold.

Saisuman Revankar

Saisuman is a professional content writer specializing in health, law, and space-related articles. Her experience includes designing featured articles for websites and newsletters, as well as conducting detailed research for medical professionals and researchers. Passionate about languages since childhood, Saisuman can read, write, and speak in five different languages. Her love for languages and reading inspired her to pursue a career in writing. Saisuman holds a Master's in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resources and has worked in a Human Resources firm for a year. She was previously associated with a French international company. In addition to writing, Saisuman enjoys traveling and singing classical songs in her leisure time.

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