The Business Travel Outlook for 2027

Business travel has changed considerably over the last few years. As we look towards 2027, cost, disruption, technology and sustainability are all shaping how travel is managed.

The latest industry data suggests that business travel will continue to grow, but the environment businesses are operating in is becoming more complex.

Business travel is still growing

GBTA's latest European forecast estimates that business travel spending in Europe will reach €414.5 billion in 2027, up from a forecast €389.9 billion in 2026.

Spending and travel volume are not necessarily moving at the same rate. Rising travel costs remain a significant factor in overall expenditure, so increased spend does not automatically mean more trips.

Understanding where travel spend is going will therefore be increasingly important. Which journeys are driving expenditure? Where are costs increasing? How is travel being booked?

Travel costs will continue to put pressure on budgets

GBTA and ALTOUR's 2027 Global Business Travel Forecast predicts that global airfares will increase by 1.5% in 2027, compared with 4.7% in 2026.

Price growth may moderate, but travel costs are not returning to previous levels. GBTA highlights aircraft supply constraints, labour costs, sustainable aviation fuel requirements and geopolitical uncertainty as continuing factors.

Hotel costs are also expected to vary considerably by destination. Amex GBT’s latest Hotel Monitor forecasts London hotel rates to rise by 3.6%–5.4% and Edinburgh by 6.2%–7.1% in 2027. Elsewhere, Madrid is forecast to see increases of up to 9.2%, while São Paulo could see rates rise by as much as 12.2%.

With both air and hotel costs continuing to rise, controlling travel spend means looking beyond the cost of individual bookings. Understanding where money is being spent, whether negotiated rates are being used and where booking behaviour could be improved can help identify opportunities to manage costs.

AI and data will become more useful

AI is already being introduced into business travel. GBTA's April 2026 research found that 41% of travel buyers were proactively implementing AI applications, while a further 28% were using AI within existing travel tools.

The applications are practical, including reporting, forecasting, traveller communications and disruption management.

Technology is only as useful as the data behind it. GBTA found that 92% of travel buyers were interested in predictive analytics for travel spend forecasting, while 89% were interested in automated disruption management and rebooking. Yet only 12% reported having a consolidated view of their travel programme from a single data source.

The focus in 2027 may therefore be less about introducing AI for its own sake and more about having the data needed to use it effectively.

Managing disruption remains a priority

Amex GBT found that 37% of business travellers had experienced disruption to their travel plans in the previous year. IATA's 2026 global outlook found that 81% of travellers were concerned about disruption caused by geopolitical conflict, while 71% said they were booking closer to departure to avoid unexpected changes.

Flexibility and access to information are becoming more important. A travel programme needs visibility of where travellers are and a clear way to support them when plans change.

The response also needs to go beyond finding another flight. The right alternative depends on the wider journey, the reason for travel and what the traveller needs to do when they arrive.

Travel policy will need to become more responsive

GBTA and ALTOUR found that 32% of travel managers said their company's travel policy was stricter than it had been three years earlier. Meanwhile, 51% of policies were more than 10 pages long, and 32% of travel buyers said the most common reason employees break policy is that they have not read or are not familiar with the rules.

Booking outside approved channels remains another challenge. GBTA found that 72% of travel buyers consider travellers finding cheaper hotel rates outside managed channels to be a major pain point.

Travel data can show where people are booking, where exceptions are occurring and what is driving them. That information could play a bigger role in how travel policies are reviewed and updated in 2027.

Sustainability will become more measurable

The UK's Department for Transport found that 65% of businesses had decarbonisation plans in place during 2024, rising to 80% among large businesses.

The latest GBTA sustainability benchmark found that 62% of companies are already tracking their business travel emissions, with a further 14% planning to do so within the following year. It also found that 68% have sustainability features within their corporate travel booking platforms.

The direction of travel is towards more detailed measurement. Reliable emissions data and the ability to compare different travel options will become increasingly important to businesses looking to understand and reduce the impact of their travel.

Beyond the booking

Across all of these areas, the quality of the travel programme will increasingly depend on the information behind it and how effectively that information is used.

This is where a travel management company can add value beyond the booking itself. Good data can show where spend is going, experienced people can help interpret what is happening, and the right support can make it easier to respond when plans change.

In 2027, that combination of data, expertise and support will be an important part of managing business travel.