Emburse’s SpendSmart Travel Trends report has revealed that “as the final months of the year approached, airline officials anticipated a profitable quarter fueled by business travelers”. The report noted that US carriers such as United Airlines and Delta witnessed a rise in the number of business travelers despite winter storms in November and December leading to disrupting of flights.
“The narrative around travel has continued to evolve since the onset of COVID, but one thing seems to be true: business trips are playing an important role in the health of the travel industry,” said Eric Friedrichsen, CEO, Emburse. “The data indicate a resurgence in in-person meetings despite less favourable weather and macroeconomic conditions, suggesting that employers continue to see the value in bringing people together. However, we did see slight quarter-on-quarter declines in average domestic air ticket prices, as well as average daily lodging spending. This could suggest that travelers are finding a balance between maintaining travel volumes and effective cost control, by opting for lower-cost flights and hotels.”
