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Business Class Flights to Different Destinations

Ever notice how bright eyed and bushy tailed those business class folk look after a long-haul flight? They’re so well rested, you would think that they relaxed all day at the spa, when in actuality, they spent nine hours in the sky. You, too, can experience the luxury of traveling in business class, where the seats are comfier and the food is tastier. While the perks of business class may differ depending on the airline or duration of your flight, you can rest assured that you’ll be pampered from the moment your flight takes off to the second you retrieve your luggage.

If you’ve never dabbled with the idea of flying anything but economy, it’s time to expand your horizons with our cheapest business class tickets here at Expedia.com. No matter if you’re flying just a few hours away or indulging in a cross-globe adventure, scoring a cheap business class flight will make all the difference when you touch ground feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Browse our assortment of business class airfares, and you’ll find that it’s easier than ever to find affordable rates. Once you’ve nabbed the cheapest business class flights, you’re well on your way to enjoying the level of luxury travel that you truly deserve. Sit back, order a complimentary cocktail, and get ready to experience the wonders of the business class life.

How can I find cheap business class flights?

Find cheap business class tickets on Expedia by simply browsing our featured routes or by customizing your trip dates and destination in the search bar. Use the filters—number of stops, airlines, and departure/arrival times—to narrow down to the cheapest business class flights. Remember that being flexible on your dates may give you access to more attractive pricing!

What are the best business class airlines?

Expedia works with many trusted airline partners, so you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to the best business class airlines. On the flight results page, you can check reviews of airlines and navigate to the filters to choose the one that best suits your style and budget.

How can I find the best business flight deals?

Find amazing business class deals by browsing our current offers, or by or customizing your trip to your preferred destination. Prices may vary by arrival and departure dates, airlines, and airport. At Expedia, we source many flight deals so you can be sure to find the one that is right for you.

What kind of business flight deals can I get on Expedia?

We have extensive inventory of deals on business class flights for any type of trip, whether a business, romantic, or family vacation. Browse our business class flight deals for worldwide routes, domestic and international, direct/non-direct flights, and multiple trusted airlines.

What is included in business class flights?

Flying business class will bring comfort and peace to you trip. Of course, business class experiences differ by airline and route. Your flight may include reclining seats (like Qatar business class ), complimentary alcoholic beverages, award-winning cuisines (like Swiss business class ), increased baggage allowances, and more.

How much does it cost to fly business class?

The cost of business class seats depends on travel dates, routes, and airlines. For example, business class flights to Europe may cost more than domestic business class flights. No matter where you fly, see amazing prices of our featured deals at a glance, or enter your customized travel information to view and sort by prices on a select route.

Is business class the same as first class?

The distinctions between business class vs. first class is often that first class flights might include private space, an award-winning in-flight menu, personalized service, and greater baggage allowances than business flights. Check the details of each flight and each class before you book.

What is business class like on international flights?

Business class international flights will make your trip unforgettable with attentive service. Your in-flight experience may include lie-flat seats, free meals and alcoholic drinks, attentive service, and more leg room than economy. Expedia offers fantastic LAX to London business class flights , where passengers can fly in comfort.

What is the difference between business class and premium economy?

Depending on the airline, premium economy flights usually include wide seats, priority check-in, and increased baggage allowances. A business class price often includes the same features but possibly with a reclining seat, more legroom, and larger food selections. Check the details of each flight and each class before you book.

Can I book flexible business class tickets on Expedia?

Yes, we offer flexible change policies! Filter your flight results by “no change fees” or “free cancellation” so you won’t be penalized for changing your travel plans.

Can I cancel my flight on Expedia?

Yes, many business class flights can be cancelled from your Expedia account, under “My Trips.” Eligible flights may be refunded if cancelled within 24 hours after booking. Cancellations after that time may be eligible for flight credit, depending on your booking. Check your itinerary to read the terms of your reservation.

Why should I book my flight with Expedia?

We offer cheap business class fares with flexible booking options and a Price Match Guarantee. And if you book your flight as part of a package, you could save even more! What’s more, Expedia members can get points back on every booking.

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40+ business travel statistics to know before you book

Whether you're a seasoned business traveler or preparing for your maiden corporate voyage, staying up-to-date with key business travel data is crucial. Making informed decisions based on relevant stats can save you not just time and money but also the occasional travel-induced headache. 

To help you stay in the loop, we’ve compiled over 40 business travel statistics, ranging from the average business trip cost to the rise of “bleisure.” Let's dive in and see how they can impact your next business trip.

Statistics on the cost of business travel 

Ever wondered what the price tag on a typical business trip looks like? Curious about what could land your expense report in the red? You're about to get a clear look. We've dug into the numbers to bring you the average costs for business trips, both within the U.S. and beyond its borders.  

1. The average business trip cost in the U.S. in 2023 was reported to be $1,293 , with the daily cost being $325 . [1]

2. For international trips, the average cost in 2023 was $2,600 per traveler​​. [1]

3. In comparison, the average cost of a domestic business trip in the U.S. in 2019 was $990 , while international business trips averaged $2,525 ​​, showing us that business travel costs are on the rise. [2]

4. On average, companies spend 17%-27% of their total travel budget on airfare. [3]

5. More than 20% of a business travel budget is allocated toward covering food expenses. [3]

6. Lodging makes up around 34% of the total cost of business travel. [3]

7. While business trips constitute about 12% of total U.S. air travel, they contribute up to 75% of airlines’ profits​. [4]

8. The overall budget for business travel in 2023 is expected to reach 98% of the levels seen in 2019 , showing a recovery trend​​. [5]

Business travel safety stats

As companies globalize and work trickles beyond geographical boundaries, ensuring the safety and security of traveling employees is more important than ever. In this section, we’ll unveil statistics highlighting common safety concerns of global business travelers.

9. 46% of those who travel for work don’t have a corporate travel safety plan . [6]

10. 73.2% of travelers are concerned about delayed flights. [7]

11. Out of a group of European business travelers surveyed in 2018, 53% were impacted by terrorism. [8]

12. 49% of travelers surveyed were impacted by political or social unrest. [8]

13. 28% of travelers surveyed were impacted by tropical diseases. [8]

14. 25% of travelers surveyed were impacted by crime. [8]

15. Only 44% of employees surveyed stated that their employers organized travel risk awareness training. [8]

16. 83% of female business travelers have safety concerns, indicating the need for gender-specific guidance and resources in business travel safety training​. [6]

Business travel destinations: facts and figures

Let’s uncover the go-to destinations for business travelers and delve into the spending trends associated with them. We've sifted through the data to bring you some eye-opening stats on the top countries for business travel and the biggest financial cities across the globe. 

17. The most visited countries for international tourism, which includes business travel, are France , Spain , and the U.S​​. [9]

18. The most expensive states for business travel were identified as Hawaii , Massachusetts , and California​​ . [1]

19. New York City was reported as the most expensive city for business travel, with daily costs averaging $799. Geneva was next ( $716 per day ), followed by Zurich ( $661 per day ), Washington D.C. ( $621 per day) , and Paris ( $617 per day )​​. [10]

20. Italy registered nearly 15 million international business travel arrivals in a recent year. [11]

Breaking down the demographics of business travelers

A diverse group of people travel for work, each with unique characteristics and preferences. This section aims to provide a clearer understanding of today's modern business traveler. Let's peel back the curtain and explore the profiles of those who embark on these journeys. 

21. According to the Bureau of Transportation, men make up 77% of those traveling for work. [12]

22. At least 50% of business travelers are between 35-54 years old. [3]

23. 63% of business travelers have a bachelor's degree. [3]

24. The average business traveler takes roughly 6.8 trips per year. This number is higher for millennials, who take an average of 7.4 trips per year. [3]

25. 83% of business travelers see business travel as a positive experience. [12]

26. About 79% of business travelers say that travel improves their overall job satisfaction. [12]

Statistics on business travel sustainability

In the wake of rising environmental awareness, the business travel sector is tuning into sustainability. Companies are curbing air travel, while travelers are becoming more mindful of their carbon footprints. Here’s a glimpse of statistics unveiling how eco-friendliness is reshaping business travel.

27. 55% of companies are cutting down on air travel post-pandemic. [13]

28. 56% of business travelers state that lowering their carbon footprint is a moderate priority, while 21% believe it’s a top priority. [14]

29. Traveling in economy class has half the CO2 footprint of business class, as passengers take up less space. [15]

30. 77% of business travelers stated that they would be willing to forego daily hotel cleanings to reduce their carbon footprint. [14]

31. Nearly half ( 49% ) of companies are developing new climate-friendly products or services, indicating a shift towards sustainability that could include eco-friendly travel solutions and policies. [13]

Data: business travel tech usage

The digital shift is simplifying business travel, making online check-ins, bookings, and post-trip reimbursements a breeze. Below are stats showcasing how tech adoption is refining the business travel experience for travelers and employers alike.

32. 51% of passengers around the world use a smartphone or other device to check in online. [7]

33. 68% of business travelers book their trips through online channels, according to a survey of 1,000+ people in 2018. [16]

34. 57% of business travelers want to have a single application to manage their planning, booking, and reimbursement needs. [7]

35. Only 26% of travel managers claim that their corporate travel booking tool does a good job of accommodating employees with accessibility needs. [14]

36. 37% of travel managers aren’t sure how well their company’s booking tool assists employees with accessibility needs. [14] 

The ins and outs of bleisure 

"Bleisure" travel — a fusion of business and leisure trips — has been gathering steam in recent years. As the lines between work and leisure blur, especially with the rise of remote work, many are seizing the opportunity to blend business trips with leisure activities. Let’s take a look at what the numbers are saying about bleisure: 

37. U.S. business travelers take over 405 million long-haul business trips annually. It is estimated that employees are adding vacation time to around 60% of these trips (243 million). [17]

38. 67% of bleisure trips begin with an agenda to attend a conference, 46% with external meetings, and 42% with sales opportunities​​. [17]

39. 57% of companies have a policy in place for employees aged 20-30 to extend business trips with vacation time. [18]

40. 17% of bleisure trips stretch over four nights, 31% span three nights, and 39% last for two nights​​. [17]

41. 35% of bleisure travelers have company during their trips, while 36% plan to visit with family or friends at their destination. [17]

42. 86% of bleisure travelers regard corporate travel as a vital component for career development. [19]

43. 39% of bleisure travelers actively seek job roles that offer business trip opportunities — they’re even open to sacrificing other benefits for more chances to travel​​. [19]

44. Bleisure trips are linked to efforts to become more sustainable, with 60% of surveyed business travelers reporting that the pandemic has made them more conscious of the environmental impact of traveling. [20]

Enhance your experience: business travel tips

Traveling for business — especially for bleisure — is always exciting. However, the administrative trail of expenses left in the wake of your adventure can often dull the sparkle, especially when it takes ages to get paid back after your business trip. 

Let’s break down some tried-and-true business travel tips to ensure your next trip isn’t just fruitful but also enjoyable. 

Leverage expense management software: Utilizing expense management software like Expensify is a game-changer for seamless business travel. It automates expense tracking, categorization, and reporting, so you can say goodbye to manual data entry and hello to more free time to explore new cities. 

Ditch paper receipts: Paper receipts are easy to lose and a hassle to manage. Thanks to Expensify’s SmartScan technology, you can easily track spend on the road by simply snapping a picture of your receipt, uploading it to Expensify, and carrying on with your day.

Stay connected: Staying connected is key, especially when traveling internationally. Make sure to purchase an international SIM card or a global roaming plan to have a reliable mobile connection to keep in touch with your team and manage work on the go.

Prioritize your well-being: Traveling can disrupt your routine, but it's essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Ensure you have a balanced diet, stay hydrated, stick to your exercise routine, and get enough rest to stay productive and enjoy your trip!

Jet-set with confidence: Expensify’s got your back

Armed with these insightful business travel statistics, you're in a great spot to make savvy travel decisions that could lead to significant savings. And with Expensify in your back pocket, you have everything you need to streamline expense tracking and stay on top of your finances while traveling. 

With the administrative hassle curtailed, all that's left is for you to pack your bags and jet off on your next business adventure with an air of confidence and ease. Safe travels!

Struggling with receipt tracking on business trips?

Expensify automates receipt scanning, simplifies reports, and gives you real-time insights — even on the move.

Expensify values your privacy. We’ll never sell your personal information to others.

The Average Business Trip Costs $1,293 and Prices Will Increase in 2020, Business Wire

Business Travel Costs Around the World, Expert Market

25+ Essential Business Travel Statistics [2023]: How Much Do Companies Spend on Business Travel, Zippia

How Much Airline Revenue Comes From Business Travelers? Investopedia

2023 Outlook: Business Bounces Back, Morgan Stanley

20 Business Travel Safety Tips and Guidelines for Employees, Alert Media

105 Critical Business Travel Statistics: 2023 Spending & Concerns Analysis, Finances Online

2018 Business Impact of Travel Risks Survey, International SOS

International Travel Statistics: Facts and Trends for 2023, The Broke Backpacker

Hong Kong remains the most expensive location in Asia for business travel, ECA International

Number of international business tourist arrivals in selected countries worldwide in 2019, Statista

25 Impressive Business Travelers Stats 2023 [Facts & Trends], Thrive My Way

Deloitte 2022 CxO Sustainability Report, Deloitte

100+ Business Travel Statistics (2023), Dream Big, Travel Far

Flying and Driving: Can we Travel more Sustainably? ClimateScience

Essential Digital Transformation In Travel Industry Statistics In 2023, Zipdo

77+ Bleisure Travel Statistics, Stratos

How Millennials Are Creatively Approaching Their Business Travel, Forbes

42 bleisure travel statistics for 2023, TravelPerk

The Future of Blended Travel, Crowne Plaza

Lindsey Peckham

A native Bostonian (with a 3-year stint in San Francisco in between), Lindsey now calls London home. She still prefers iced coffee over tea, but has a new soft spot for a Sunday roast. When she’s not working on marketing at Expensify, you’ll most likely catch her spending too much money at the local flower market.

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How Much Should a Business Trip Cost?

How Do You Calculate Travel Costs?

So how do these average costs break down into specific expenses? Planning a business trip usually involves four primary costs:

• Ground transport
• Daily allowance for food and incidental expenses like parking fees

The best way to predict an accurate travel budget is to set clear parameters, and then use an algorithm that can take real-time market rates into consideration along with those parameters. TravelBank starts with default settings like nonstop economy flights, for example, or hotels with 3-star ratings or higher that can easily be customized for each company within the app. A startup with a lean budget and employees willing to weather a little discomfort for the team might opt for a cheaper flight with a layover. A business planning a trip for top executives might prefer business class seats or a top-notch hotel. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) per diem standard is a good gauge for daily allowance, or you might reward frequent travelers with a higher allowance as a perk.

In other words, get specific about what plans are right for a typical trip within your business. Companies at different stages of their travel program will have different requirements. When you know what’s right for you, use current market rates to get the most accurate cost estimates.

Business Travel Mistakes to Avoid

If you’re concerned about overspend or want some extra ideas to lower trip spending, watch out for these common issues that can push you over budget.

Put (Less) Money Where Your Mouth Is

Quick, what’s the biggest expense companies pay on business trips? Are you surprised to hear it’s meals? More than 20% of a typical business travel budget goes to food expenses—more than flights, hotels, or car rentals.

Lowering your per diem, or tweaking it for higher-cost vs. lower-cost destinations, might help. So can updating your travel policy to be clear about when it makes sense to entertain clients or business associates, when employees can purchase alcohol, and similar points. You might also want to keep an eye on grocery bills when employees stay at an apartment-style accommodation, and distinguish between per diem meal costs and personal grocery expenses.

Forgetting Airfare Tax

One trap it’s easy for travelers (and business travel managers) to fall into is checking a travel aggregator website for flight deals and forgetting to factor taxes into the cost. Sales tax and various fees can add up to more than 25 percent of the fare! If you’ve already set your budget based on the face value of the ticket, you can quickly end up overspending.

Overlooking Hotel Expense

Airfare can feel like the biggest line item to focus on to reduce trip spending. While the plane ticket often costs more than a single night in a hotel, hotel rates can multiply into an even higher expense. The daily hotel average in the top 100 U.S. cities is $148.83, and hotels make up an average of 13% of travel budgets (compared to 17% for flights).

An easy way to get travelers on board with lowering hotel expenses is to reward them for coming in under budget. A travel rewards program provides great incentive for employees to take extra measures to find cost-effective options.

Also, don’t forget to watch out for daily resort fees and hotel taxes, that like airfare, can accidentally send your traveler over budget—especially if the hotel nightly rate was paid up front and the resort fee is charged upon checkout.

Should You Set a Hard Cap or Dynamic Budget?

There are two basic approaches to setting a business trip budget. Here are the pros and cons of both.

A hard cap budget model sets one limit across the board for your business travel. You’ve got one number to remember, and a black-and-white approach to monitoring compliance. Did the trip cost less than the hard cap? You’re good to go. Over the limit? Supervisors or accounting might need to take a look at traveler compliance.

The benefit of a hard cap is its simplicity. Companies booking only a few very similar trips per year might be able to run with this system fairly well.

The downside of hard cap budgets is that they don’t offer much nuance or flexibility. You’re going to hit administrative issues if employees travel during the destination’s high season, or over a holiday. Hard cap budgets aren’t a “set it and forget it” method, either. You’ll need to review and revise the budget at least every 12 months to keep up with market fluctuations, and probably more often.

Dynamic Budgeting

Dynamic budgets work with real-time data to adjust price expectations to the market rates, travel dates, and destination city. Managers compare data on the average costs of similar trips to the travel plans the employee requests to book.

Dynamic budgeting is a little more complicated on the surface, but it’s a much more realistic way to budget. With a hard cap, your best bet is usually to set the cap based on your most expensive travel destination so you don’t blow your budget. You sacrifice a lot of insight and accountability when it comes to how much travelers spend on cheaper trips. With dynamic budgeting, you have a realistic profile for expenses on every kind of trip your employees take.

A dynamic model is also easier to develop over time, because you’re used to working with real-time data. You’re shaping travel policies and budget expectations around the real world of travel, instead of squeezing trips into the mold of the spend max you set. The result is often more accountability and more appropriate budget guidelines for a wider range of destinations.

Want to beat your budget this year? Learn more about how to set travel benchmarks that fit your business.

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105 Critical Business Travel Statistics: 2024 Spending & Concerns Analysis

Technology may have opened up new ways for individuals to connect, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic where face-to-face communication can become a health risk. This is why business travel remains important for modern companies. If you want to make the most out of your corporate trips, being knowledgeable about the ins and outs of the industry is important. This is where checking business travel statistics becomes necessary.

In this article, we will be discussing everything from the market size of the business travel industry to the use of budgeting software for corporate travel. Furthermore, we have provided some data on emerging business travel technologies. This way, it would be easier to understand how to manage your company trips better as well as prepare yourself for the shifting demands of the industry. 

Business Travel Statistics Table of Contents

• General Business Travel Statistics
• Business Travel Spending Statistics
• Statistics on Business Travel Benefits
• Business Travel Experience Statistics
• Bleisure Statistics
• Statistics on the Modern Business Traveler
• Business Travel Policy Statistics
• Statistics on Business Travel Concerns
• Business Travel Tech Usage Statistics
• Impact of COVID-19 on Business Travel

1. General Business Travel Statistics

Corporate trips may have become more and more prevalent over the years, thanks to the increasingly globalized business landscape. So much so that millions of business travel initiatives are launched each year. However, with the current pandemic, business travel has come to a halt and it is not expected to recover until 2027.

• There are 445 million business trips every year. (Certify, n. d.)
• Business travelers make up 12% of an airline’s passengers, but they represent 75% of the profit. (Investopedia, 2020)
• The global market for business travel is projected to decline by 4.5% in 2021. (ReportLinker, 2020)
• It won’t be until 2027 that the global market for business travel is expected to recover, at which point it is expected to reach US$829.5 billion. (ReportLinker, 2020)
• The global market for business travel is expected to post a CAGR of 3% from 2020 to 2027. (ReportLinker, 2020)

Breakdown of Corporate Travel Across the Globe

Companies across the globe understand how important it is to invest in corporate travel. With companies spending an average of $799 per person per day, the business travel market has surely enjoyed the growth in revenue in the past years. Unfortunately, however, when the pandemic hit, many countries experienced huge losses in business travel spending.

• China lost $404 billion in business travel spend losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the biggest amount among member countries of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA). (GBTA, 2020)
• The second most affected region was Europe, which amassed $190.5 billion in business travel spend losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The third most affected region was Asia-Pacific, excluding China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, with losses amounting to $120.2 billion. (GBTA, 2020)
• The most expensive business travel location in Asia is Hong Kong, with an average cost of $515 per day. (ECA International, 2019)

Business Trips in the US

American companies are one of the top spenders when it comes to business travel. Simply put, many US companies spend to send their employees on domestic and international trips for business purposes. However, much like the rest of the globe, they are also expected to decrease the number of international business trips in the coming years.

• In a survey, 45% of respondents said that their company canceled most international business trips to the U.S. as a result of the pandemic. (GBTA Coronavirus Poll/Statista, 2020)
• U.S. airlines reported a 90% reduction in business travel in Q2 2020. (Spendesk, 2019)
• The reduction in travel spending resulted in a loss of $162 billion for the U.S. economy in 2020. (U.S. Travel Association, 2020)

2. Business Travel Spending Statistics

It’s no secret that corporate travel is expensive. As you’ll see in the data below, companies spend millions of dollars per year on sending their employees on business trips. To ensure steady business travel funding, you should plan and create a budget for it ahead of time, taking into consideration not only accommodation and airfare but also looking into vaccination expenses for employees. This way, they may avoid the risk of contracting coronavirus while they’re traveling. Moreover, you should keep all travel costs in check. For this, you might find that using tools for budgeting can be useful for your company.

• Global business travel decreased by more than half in 2020 to $694 billion. (PhocusWire, 2021)
• Corporate travel spending is expected to lose $820 billion as a result of the pandemic. (CNBC, 2020)
• As of September 2020, China’s number of domestic passengers reached Corporate travel spending 98% of 2019 levels. (Skift, 2020)
• The average daily cost of business travel in the US is $325 per day. (Small Biz Genius, 2021)
• Businesses spend roughly $1,425 for every employee they send on a business trip. (Fyle, 2020)
• Companies spend $111.7 billion on business travel every year. This is an average of $1,286 per work trip. (Travel Pulse, 2020)
• Businesses spend $31.6 billion on international travel. This is an average of $2,600 per person. (Certify)
• The average business travel budget consists of money for lodging (34%), airfare (27%), meals (20%), and car rentals (19%). (Travel Pulse, 2020)

Air Travel Expenditures

If your company is affiliated with businesses located halfway across the globe or on the other side of the country, then spending on air travel is inevitable. So, you should prepare a good chunk of your budget for airfares, especially considering flight tickets and miscellaneous spending at airports are increasingly expensive. You might also want to time your booking so you can get tickets at lower rates.

• The average domestic airfare in the US is $392. (Business Insider, 2019)
• The average cost of coach airfare for international flights is $1216. (Certify)
• Domestic flights in the U.S. are 41% lower on average because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (CNBC, 2020)
• Booking flights 169 to 319 days in advance allows you to fly at the time you prefer and get the seats that you want. (CheapAir, 2018)
• The prime booking window is 21 to 121 days in advance of your preferred flight. The fares are the lowest during this time. (CheapAir, 2018)
• The most costly airports based on lunch, taxi, executive lounge, and parking expenses are London Stansted (£608.29), Amsterdam (£567.35), and London Gatwick (£520.53). (FairFX Blog, 2018)
• The airports that give business travelers the most value for their money based on lunch, taxi, executive lounge, and parking expenses are Barcelona (£236.36), Belfast International (£228.28), and Beijing (£170,03). (FairFX Blog, 2018)
• 70% of corporate travelers said that their most important consideration in booking airline tickets after COVID-19 is flexibility in cancellation and changing ticket conditions. This is followed by special measures to ensure onboard hygiene (63%), availability of direct flights (61%), and sanitation levels of aircraft between flights. (Skift Research & McKinsey, 2020)

Road Transportation Costs

More often than not, business travelers still need to go from one place to another upon reaching their destinations. So, it makes sense for them to spend on road transportation. For domestic trips just outside of the city, this might involve gas money for their personal vehicles. In case they have to go farther away, they will need to allocate a budget for car rental. There might also be those who opt to use ride-sharing applications during the trip, although this may not be as popular an option amid the pandemic.

• Three-fourths of business trips are less than 250 miles from the point of their departure. (U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2017)
• Personal cars are often utilized for 81% of business trips. (U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2017)
• New demand for road trip travel has led car rental rates in the U.S. to decrease by approximately 15% in 2020. (CheapCarRental, 2020)
• 65% of users stopped using ridesharing services in the U.S. due to the COVID-19 outbreak. (Statista, 2020)

Accommodation and Other Expenses

Business travelers require accommodations that are affordable, secure, and trustworthy. What’s more, staying at a place where they have access to conveniences such as workstations and free WiFi can ensure their productivity while on the go. Plus, with the current pandemic, it is also important to consider what hygiene protocols your intended accommodation implements to ensure the safety of your employees. This is why many companies are willing to spend more on hotel rooms and Airbnb accommodations.

• 40% of hotel guests are business travelers. (American Hotel & Lodging Corporation, 2015)
• In 2020, the average hotel room price dropped significantly by 32% to $186 per night compared to $274 per night in 2019. (NerdWallet, 2020)
• Tech companies prefer Airbnb accommodations. In fact, their bookings have doubled from 2017 to 2018. (TravelPerk)
• In 2018, more than 700,000 businesses utilized Airbnb for Work for their corporate trips. (PhocusWire, 2018)
• For the fiscal year 2020, the IRS has set the per-diem business travel rates for meals and incidental expenses at $71. (Maxwell, Locke & Ritter, 2020)
• When it comes to accommodations, business travelers pay attention to quality (44%), trustworthiness (38%), convenience (40%), quietness (30%), affordability (28%), and coziness (28%). (CWT Research, 2019)

How do businesses spend on travel?

A breakdown of the average corporate trip budget.

Car rentals

Source: Travel Pulse

Top Budgeting Software

• Freshbooks. This budgeting and accounting software is popular among businesses of all sizes. Learn more about its features like expense tracking, automatic vendor profile creation, sales tax, project overviews, and many more here in our Freshbooks review .
• Sage 50cloud. As a top accounting and budgeting platform, it sports important features such as billing, invoicing, contact management, budgeting, and even forecasting tools. Read about how users leverage this top platform for their business here in our Sage 50cloud review .
• Quickbooks Enterprise.  This comprehensive accounting platform is equipped with inventory management, advanced reporting, and FSM to help you budget for projects, operations, or new investments. Learn more about this product in this Quickbooks Enterprise review .
• Xero. This is a popular accounting app designed for freelancers and small businesses. See how its easy-to-use interface is packed with comprehensive and robust features here in our Xero review .
• FreeAgent. This powerful online budgeting and accounting tool sports tax management, invoice management, expense management, and payment gateway integrations. See why freelancers and small businesses love this platform here in our FreeAgent review .

3. Statistics on Business Travel Benefits

Many companies may think that business travel is passé or that it is a waste of money. However, statistics show that this is most certainly not the case. Corporate trips actually allow businesses to foster stronger and more close-knit relationships with potential clients and partners. Thus, they yield a good ROI for their business travel initiatives and even grow their company at a faster pace. In addition, even amid a pandemic, many professionals cite business travel as a job perk.

• 90.6% of corporate travel managers believe that business travel is crucial to company growth. (Skift + TripActions Business Travel Survey, 2019)
• On the other hand, 91.3% of business travelers said that business travel is crucial to company growth. (Skift + TripActions Business Travel Survey, 2019)
• Companies get a $2.90 increase in profit and a $9.50 increase in revenue for every dollar spent on corporate travel. (Certify)
• 79% of employees say that business travel experience has an impact on their overall job satisfaction. (Global Business Travel Association, 2017)
• 83% of employees say that business travel is a job perk. (Stratos Jet Charters, Inc., 2020)

4. Business Travel Experience Statistics

Corporate travelers are consumers. So, in a similar light as your typical shopper, they expect personalized experiences when it comes to traveling. In fact, they are more than willing to provide their preferences and personal information if it means travel agencies and airline companies will provide them with better products and services. In addition to these, modern business travelers also don’t mind paying extra out of their pocket for upgrades on accommodations and transportation.

• Nine in 10 corporate travelers will share their travel preferences for a customized experience. (CWT Research, 2019)
• 65% of travelers are willing to provide additional personal information to accelerate processing at the airport. (International Air Transport Association, 2018)
• 22% of frequent travelers want travel companies to remember their personal data. (Accenture, 2017)
• 67% of modern travelers expect brands to help them make good travel decisions based on previous travel information. (Accenture, 2017)
• 55% of business travelers are willing to pay out of their own pocket to get upgrades for accommodations, car rentals, and airline seats. (AeroLatinNews, 2018)

Improving the Experience of Corporate Travelers

Business travel may not be as prevalent now. But this pause makes it the perfect time to ask, how can you improve the overall business travel experience? Now that we know corporate travel anchors on personalization and convenience, it is important to utilize the available technologies to enhance the travel management process.

Moreover, travel managers should actively measure the satisfaction of business travelers to determine any other points for improvement. To do this, you might want to consider utilizing best-in-class business intelligence platforms or top-rated data analytics software .

• Travelers say that their experience can be improved using real-time and accurate travel notifications (55%) and automatic flight rebooking (53%). (International Air Transport Association, 2019)
• A business travel report revealed that 79% of business travel managers say that partnering with travel management companies can lead to more efficient processes and higher savings. (Egencia, 2018)
• 80% of corporate travel managers say that having a system of measurement can benefit corporate travel initiatives. (ACTE, 2018)
• 98% of corporate travel managers say that the most important metrics to measure are traveler satisfaction, policy compliance, and savings and expenditures. These are followed by booking statistics (96%) and traveler engagement (90%). (ACTE, 2018)

Points for Improvement for Airlines, According to Passengers

5. bleisure statistics.

“Work hard, play hard” is the mantra of modern businessmen and corporate employees. So, before 2020, it was not surprising that employees have made it a point to extend their trip for leisure or, at the very least, allocate time for fun activities during a trip. While this may not be a possibility with the ongoing pandemic, it is certainly a trend that companies should anticipate as travel restrictions and quarantine protocols relax. After all, it will allow your company to reinforce work-life balance for employees.

One thing to note about bleisure, however, is that this may also pose problems for companies when it comes to accountability and productivity. After all, administrators don’t know how their business travelers will spend their time during a trip. In case you feel like this might be an issue for you, you can always opt to use time tracking software solutions. Using these, business travelers may log their productive hours even while away from the office.

• Bleisure trips have increased by 20% between 2016 and 2017. (Forbes, 2018)
• Business travelers enjoy exploring new places and cultures (41%) more than meeting with clients and teams (17%). (Medium, 2017)
• 80% of corporate travelers make sure to squeeze in fun activities while on a business trip. (National Car Rental, 2018)
• Almost half of the corporate trips (40%) are extended for leisure. (Expedia Group, 2016)

Employee Expectations on Bleisure

Nowadays, business travelers are not shy about taking some time off while on a trip. After all, they deserve to have a bit of fun after working long hours out of the office. This is why they expect companies to cover bleisure in their travel policies.

• 82% of travelers expect support from their superiors when taking a break on business trips. (National Car Rental, 2018)
• Employees want their companies to consider bleisure for their travel policy. This means including a budget for extracurriculars (74%) and giving them the option to bring a guest on the trip (38%). Moreover, they want to be provided with the flexibility to extend their trips for leisure (34%) and given a budget for exercise and similar lifestyle activities during the trip (24%). (National Car Rental, 2018)
• 37% said that leisure activities should have an equal length as business activities during a corporate trip. (Expedia Group Media Solutions, 2016)

6. Statistics on the Modern Business Traveler

So, who is the modern corporate traveler? Statistics show that these travelers are mostly college-educated males who are older than 45 years old. They go on trips to attend conferences, build business partnerships, develop their careers, and find investors. Moreover, a handful of them spends a good fraction of their year traveling for business purposes.

• Two-thirds of corporate travelers have a bachelor’s degree. Moreover, they have an average household income of $82,000. (PhocusWire, 2017)
• 60% of business travelers are male. Meanwhile, 50% are older than 45 years old. (PhocusWire, 2017)
• Employees go on business trips to attend conferences (62%), to meet with other companies for business planning (56%), for professional development (44%), to meet with coworkers in a different location (40%), and to pitch new products (30%). (Skift, 2016)
• The top 10% of business travelers spend an average of 88 nights away from their homes per year. (Corporate Traveler, 2017)
• 50% of business travelers from Europe go on trips alone. (Fly Aeolus, 2017)

The Millennial Business Traveler

Millennials are poised to comprise the majority of the workforce in the coming years. So, it only makes sense that we tackle how millennial employees view business travel and how they travel for business.

In the statistics we’ve culled, millennials see being sent on corporate trips as a job perk than an inconvenience. So much so that they even create reasons to travel for business. In fact, as of 2016, this generation has become the most active business travelers.

Another thing that sets them apart from previous generations is that while they prioritize cost-efficiency by avoiding expensive hotels and flights, they have a penchant for bleisure. This means they make it a point to balance each trip for both business and leisure.

• 65% of business travelers who are millennials view corporate trips as a status symbol. (Forbes, 2018)
• 56% of millennials create reasons to go on business trips. Moreover, 69% of them want to extend their trip for leisure. (Forbes, 2018)
• Millennials go on 7.4 trips every year. (Skift, 2016)
• Millennial business travelers in the tech industry prioritize cost-efficiency by opting for non-chain hotels. Also, 85% of them booked budget flights instead of choosing business class seats. (TravelPerk)
• 78% of Millennials intentionally make time for leisure on business trips. (Business Wire, 2016)

Why Do Employees Go On Business Trips?

To attend conferences

To meet with other companies for business planning

For professional development

To meet with coworkers in a different location

To pitch new products

Source: Skift

7. Business Travel Policy Statistics

Business travelers represent your company. So, how they travel must be in line with your business values. This is why it is pertinent to have a corporate travel policy.

With this, you can set standards as to where they should stay, which airlines to pick, what car rentals to choose. It also allows you to set rules around what gifts may be purchased during the trip. In addition, travel policies can serve as a guideline for on-site spending.

However, not every company and business traveler realizes the value of a travel policy. So, many opt not to create one.

If you don’t have one, you might want to find a good travel management software to do it. As an alternative, you may also utilize reliable business process management solutions .

• A business travel market report revealed that 40% of businesses still don’t have a travel policy. (Egencia, 2018)
• 60% of corporate travelers say they don’t understand the need for a company travel policy. (TravelPerk, 2019)
• Companies allow more than half of business travelers to book their trips however they prefer. (Egencia, 2018)
• The factors that have a negative impact on business travel are the lack of formal processes and outdated booking systems. (Medium, 2017)

Corporate Travel Management Problems

Of course, simply having a travel policy is not a surefire way to maximize corporate trips. Its positive effect on your business travel processes depends on how you implement it. As you’ll see in the business travel statistics below, companies with travel policies encounter their fair share of problems.

Many of them have travel policies that are not in line with their company culture. Furthermore, not all of them can manage their policies effectively. Lastly, they have many employees who choose not to comply with the policy they have in place.

• 27% of business travelers say that their company’s travel policy is ill-managed. (Medium, 2017)
• 52% of employees say that their company’s travel policy only moderately aligns with their company culture. (Medium, 2017)
• 69% of business travelers comply with corporate travel policies. (Lola.com, 2019)
• Business travelers often book accommodations out-of-policy because they are not close enough to the destination (37%) or because they found a better hotel within their per diem (37%). (Egencia, 2018)

8. Statistics on Business Travel Concerns

While there may be quite a lot of tools that you can use to optimize the business travel experience, the industry still has a long way to go. What’s more, with the pandemic, corporate travelers today are poised to encounter more obstacles and concerns that may impede them from being the most efficient they can be. For example, many of them still need to deal with delayed flights, long waiting times at the airport, as well as the hassle of lengthy security and safety processes.

• The most common issues that business travelers face are flight delays (65.7%), flight cancellations (31.9%), and paying for travel expenses with a personal credit card (30.5%). These were followed by their company’s tool not having the best booking rates (29.3%) and lack of support in resolving issues while traveling (23%). (Skift + TripActions Business Travel Survey, 2020)
• The most tiring aspects of business travel are the waiting time (27%) and having no direct flights (25%). In addition, travelers feel that the ride to and from the airport (22%), early or late departures/arrivals (16%), and the flight itself (10%) are also exhausting. (Fly Aeolous, 2017)
• The longest waiting times for security screening at US Airports in 2019 are Newark Liberty International, NJ (23.1 minutes), George Bush International, TX (19.8 minutes), Miami International, FL (19.6 minutes), and Baltimore-Washington International (18.2 minutes). (Statista, 2019)

Source: Statista

9. Business Travel Tech Usage Statistics

Corporate travelers are a tech-savvy bunch. They rely heavily on the internet and their smartphones to manage their trips. Moreover, they have quite a knack for learning new technology. As a result, they have high expectations for their companies, travel agencies, airline companies, and similar firms when it comes to innovation.

For example, they want to have access to all-in-one applications that will help them consolidate and accelerate the travel planning process. In addition, they are looking forward to having voice-activated assistants for travel queries. As you’ll see below, these are only a few of the many things that they are expecting from the industry.

• 51% of passengers around the world used a smartphone or other device to check in online. (IATA, 2019)
• 27% of global passengers use an airline app to make last-minute purchases such as an additional bag, upgrade, or lounge access. (IATA, 2019)
• The majority of modern travelers (57%) want to have a single application to manage their planning and booking needs. (Booking.com, 2018)
• 57% of travelers want to have a mobile app that will let them track their luggage in real-time. (Booking.com, 2018)
• 31% of travelers say they like the idea of using voice-activated assistants for their travel queries. (Booking.com, 2018)

FinTech Options for Business Travel

Traveling involves quite a lot of expenditures. Therefore, corporate travelers make a large number of transactions that need to be accounted for after each trip. However, manually tracking spending during a trip can be tedious and prone to errors.

As a result, many travelers are now relying on financial technology, such as expense management software and cashless transactions. These allow them to record their expenditures as they go and make sure that they remain within budget. With these, it is easier for companies to maximize their travel budget down to the last penny.

• It takes an average of 40 hours per month for business travelers to reconcile their expenses and payment data. (Egencia, 2018)
• 66.5% of companies use an online expense reporting platform with a mobile solution. (Business Travel News, 2020)
• In light of the pandemic, 55.7% of corporate travel managers say that contactless payments have become a higher priority for their travel program. (Business Travel News, 2020)
• 51% of corporate travelers believe that all business trip payments will be made via mobile devices in a few years. (Business Travel News Europe, 2017)

The Decline of Ride-Hailing Apps

Ride-sharing apps are undoubtedly cheaper and more convenient alternatives than car rental and chauffeur services. However, with the current pandemic, it seems less and less business travelers are willing to leverage them due to the risk of contracting the virus.

• Ride-hailing companies make up 70.5% of all ground transportation receipts for business trips. (USA Today, 2018)
• Usage of ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft dropped between 70% to 80% due to travel reductions brought about by the pandemic. (Forbes, 2020)
• 39% of U.S. consumers who previously used ride-sharing plan to lessen their use of these services. (CarGurus, 2020)
• However, the total number of ride-sharing services are expected to reach 71.3 million users in 2021. (eMarketer, 2020)

Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality Tech

Business travelers, while often trained to deal with unforeseen circumstances, want to come prepared. That is to say; they like visualizing how their travel plans are going to pan out well before the actual trip. To do this, they must familiarize themselves with their destination.

This is where augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) comes in. These technologies will allow them to get the lay of the land. So, it is easier to map out their itineraries and manage expectations for the trip. For more information about this tech, be sure to check out our list of VR statistics for 2019 .

• Business travel data reveals that 1 in 5 travelers want to use AR so that it is easy to check out their destination before a trip. (Booking.com, 2018)
• 81% of business travelers expect hotels to use virtual, reception-free check-in processes in the future. Meanwhile, 79% predict that using VR tech for accommodations will become the norm in the next 10 years. (Business Travel News Europe, 2017)

Artificial Intelligence

In a similar vein as practically every other industry, business travel is also being reshaped by artificial intelligence (AI). Many travel companies, managers, and corporate travelers rely on this tech to make their trips much more efficient. As you’ll see below, they find this very useful when it comes to monitoring employees as well as finding travel suggestions for planning.

• The majority of corporate travel managers (82%) say that the use of AI for business travel is “very useful” or somewhat useful.” (Skift, 2018)
• 55% of business travelers say they will allow employers to use GPS tracking to monitor their location during out-of-town trips. (Travelport, 2018)
• 41% expect travel brands to use AI to provide them with significant travel suggestions. (Booking.com, 2018)

If you are looking for emerging trends in AI usage, we also have this list of AI statistics that you might find handy.

10. Impact of COVID-19 on Business Travel

With lockdowns and travel restrictions, COVID-19 has turned the business travel sector upside-down. Even as vaccination programs offer a glimmer of hope that business will resume soon, companies still worry about their liabilities for employees who travel without getting vaccinated.

• At the outset of the pandemic, 98% of member countries of the Global Business Travel Association canceled international business tours, while 92% canceled all or most of their business trips. (GlobeNewswire, 2020)
• International business travel experienced a sharp decline of -70% in 2020. (U.S. Travel Association, 2021)
• In a survey, 24% of respondents said that their company is considering returning to domestic travel in one to three months. (Global Business Travel Association, 2020)
• On the other hand, only 6% of respondents said that their company is considering returning to international business travel in one to three months. (Global Business Travel Association, 2020)
• 57% of business travelers are considering taking a trip in the next six months. However, corporate travel and meeting planners are concerned with their liability if employees travel without being vaccinated. (MMGY Global, 2020)
• Only 6% of people miss traveling for business, compared to 48% who miss travel to spend time with loved ones. (Airbnb, 2021)
• Moreover, as of December 2020, 21% of travel managers report that they are not willing to travel for work. (Global Business Travel Association, 2020)
• When the pandemic is over, 36% of people expect to travel less for work compared to pre-COVID conditions. (Airbnb, 2021)

Source: GBTA 2020

What Do These Business Travel Facts Mean for Your Company?

The pandemic has changed not only the number of flights worldwide but also the entire face of business travel. But with some signs of bouncing back in the years to come, it is hoped that things will soon be better for one of the industries that were deeply hit by the pandemic. Until then, it is important for companies to find ways on how to carry out business travel in these challenging times.

After all, while it may be convenient to connect with people using video conferencing and similar modes of communication, we have to admit that these are not enough. Getting your message across to customers, colleagues, and potential partners is only half the purpose of these business interactions. If you truly want to build rapport, develop trust, and ensure coordination. Undoubtedly, face-to-face meetings are still the way to go. This is why business travel remains a crucial part of many industries.

As you have already read in our article, corporate travel is expensive, and it is getting more so every year. However, when these are planned thoroughly and executed properly, you can open more opportunities for your company. It can even help you attract the best talents for your company.

Just be sure to take the time to understand the needs of your business travelers. This way, you can have a better idea of how you can improve the experience for them and maximize their participation in each trip.

To sum up, we hope that our list of business travel statistics was able to help you get a better idea of the state of the industry as well as where it is headed. With this data, preparing for future business travel efforts should be much simpler.

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By James Anthony

A senior FinancesOnline writer on SaaS and B2B topics, James Anthony passion is keeping abreast of the industry’s cutting-edge practices (other than writing personal blog posts on why Firefly needs to be renewed). He has written extensively on these two subjects, being a firm believer in SaaS to PaaS migration and how this inevitable transition would impact economies of scale. With reviews and analyses spanning a breadth of topics from software to learning models, James is one of FinancesOnline’s most creative resources on and off the office.

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What is the average cost of business travel?

Estimating the average cost of business travel: what is a reasonable cost for a business trip, average cost of business travel by region, business travel costs in the us, business travel costs in europe, the middle east, and africa (emea), business travel costs in the asia pacific region, business travel costs in the americas (outside the us), how to budget for business travel: understand and track corporate travel costs, types of business travel expenses.

• Price point
• Proximity to destination
• Amenities (such as internet, printing, 24-hour reception)
• Comfort of travelers
• Privacy (will individuals have to share hotel rooms or other spaces?)
• Time spent in transit
• Commitment to sustainability goals
• Comfort and safety of travelers
• How many meals will travelers need to have?
• How expensive is food in the destination city?
• Will travelers have additional food and beverage expenses (for example, business dinners with clients?)
• Do all travelers have appropriate health insurance for the destination, or will they need temporary travel insurance?
• Does the destination carry an elevated health or safety risk that might incur additional expenses (e.g. private security, pre-trip vaccines or medications)?
• What is your policy on travel mishaps and emergencies (such as missing a flight and having to book another one last-minute?)
• Do any travelers need a visa or travel permit? What are the costs of procuring these?
• Conference and other event fees
• Paid internet (e.g. on trains or in hotels)
• Roaming charges from mobile providers (if using a company phone)

Ways to reduce business travel costs

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How to Find the Cheapest Business Class Flights

Business Class seats invariably offer great comfort and fabulous service but often have a hefty price tag. Knowing you paid a fraction of the cost of the person seated next to you would be a triumph. 

For those in the know, there are plenty of ways to get tickets at rock-bottom rates - it just takes a bit of time, effort, planning and flexibility.

11 Tips for Finding Cheap Business Class Tickets and Flights:

1- Search and Compare: 

This may seem obvious, but exploring and evaluating alternatives is essential if you are going to bag the best Business Class deals. Let BusinessClass.com take the load with its flight search engine, comparing hundreds of travel sites at once to find you the lowest possible premium cabin fares. The website is packed with the latest trends, images, videos, seat maps and other details, making it even easier to find a perfect choice. Compare and find the best deals at BusinessClass.com .

2- Special Offers:

Receive Special Offers as soon as they are released. By signing up to the offers-alert & newsletter at BusinessClass.com, you will be the first to hear of any special Business Class offers in premium airline cabins. Throughout the year, we will send you these offers – many with unbeatable fares - and all you have to do is book them!

Sign up here !

3- Buy Tickets in Advance:

The saying goes, "the early bird catches the worm", which is true when shopping for Business Class tickets. Timing is everything. Get it right, and you might get a Business Class flights for less. The ideal time to start searching for the best value deal is four months before the departure date and any time up to three weeks before. Book any later, and you risk skyrocketing prices, as airlines know you have no choice but to pay for the flight on offer. An exception to this is when you know that you have to fly on peak dates, e.g., flying home to meet family for the holidays. In such cases, the lowest fares are often available when flights open for booking, typically 330-360 days before departure. Another option is to find an airline that offers Business Class tickets with an auction upgrade. The airline sets a minimum and maximum price for a seat, and the highest bid wins. Before bidding, check how busy the upgraded cabin is by selecting a regular Business Class seat and see how many seats are available – the busier the cabin, the higher you'll need to bid to secure a seat. Of course, some aircraft will offer more Business Class seats than others, providing a greater opportunity to snag a bargain. Many airlines offer this auction option, including Air Canada , Cathay Pacific , Lufthansa , Qantas and Scandinavian Airlines (SAS).  

4- Fly in “Shoulder Season”: 

Many destinations have 'shoulder seasons' – the time between a specific destination's high and low travel seasons. It typically refers to spring and autumn months being between the peak and off-peak months, when children are back at school, making it cheaper to travel, with quieter destinations to visit. Do your research – the global seasons offer passengers fantastic scope to take advantage of this lull in flight demand. Here are a few destination examples to whet the appetite:  January and February  – Morocco and Egypt – check out British Airways , Turkish Airlines and EgyptAir for great prices.  March and April  – UK , Ireland, Western Europe , Hawaii , and the Australian Outback – look for lower-priced seats with Aer Lingus , SWISS Air Lines , Air France , Delta Air Lines , Hawaiian Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Emirates .  May and June  – Japan , Thailand and Australia – consider ANA , JAL ,  Iberia , Finnair , Virgin Australia , Qantas, Jetstar, and Etihad Airways .  September and October  – South Africa , the Mediterranean, Dubai and Canada – look for deals with TAP Air Portugal , Air France, Qatar Airways , KLM , and Air Canada.  November and December  – South Pacific, Costa Rica, the Caribbean and North America – look for deals with Fiji Airways, Virgin Atlantic , Lufthansa, United Airlines and American Airlines . One thing is for sure – airlines don't like empty seats, so look out for sales at certain times of the year to grab discount those Business Class fares. All airlines run unique fare campaigns, with many running them almost back-to-back. Two of the best times of the year for promotions are just after Christmas (December 26th until the end of January) and then again from late August to September.

5- Play with your Weekend Dates and Avoid Peak Business Travel times:

If you are planning a short-haul weekend break, think creatively. Shy away from Thursday-Sunday and look at Saturday-Monday or Tuesday instead. Adding a few more days before or after your trip may make a big difference to the price at the checkout. It often pays to add a Saturday night stay. Generally, the cheapest airfares require a Saturday overnight stay at the destination. This makes the fare less attractive to corporate travellers, but it often works well for leisure trips. For long-haul flights, most corporate travellers prefer Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Saturday is popular with everyone. The best offers are often available on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Typically for short-haul, the best Business Class offers are often on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.

6- Consider Unsociable Flight Times: 

When choosing to fly to long-distance destinations, many passengers prefer overnight flights. If a daytime flight is available, this is often considered less attractive and is priced lower. This is particularly great if you love enjoying Business Class with great food, drinks and entertainment at your fingertips. You won't want to sleep and miss out on all the perks - but if you do, Business Class seats have great beds too. Choosing the earliest flight of the day pays dividends. Some of the cheapest fares are early morning flights – around 6 am. So, if you are prepared to rise like a lark to arrive at check-in, you stand a greater chance of a reduced ticket. All the best deals unfold during unsociable hours, so you're covered if you don't mind setting off to the airport in the dead of night.

7- Be Flexible on Timing:

One way to be ahead of the rest is to plan Business Class travel when others choose not to. School holidays are busy with family escapes. However, it is also when many business folk book time off to spend with their families, leaving more seats in Business Class since most family groups choose economy. 

8- Think of Alternative Destinations and Consider an Extra Stop

If you can be more flexible on location, you can save a packet for Business Class flights. When searching, ask yourself if other destinations serve the same purpose. For example, a weekend break in Brussels can be just as great as a weekend in London, but it is cheaper as it is less popular. For a beach holiday, consider less obvious ones, such as Vietnam instead of Thailand. It is always wise to avoid popular hubs, particularly if travelling during school holidays. In general, there is a higher willingness to pay for non-stop flights. If you are prepared to add a stop, it often reduces the fare significantly. For example, flying from Frankfurt to New York may be more economical to fly Business Class on British Airways than Lufthansa. The BA fare starting from Frankfurt may be cheaper than starting from London, even if the itinerary includes more flights.

9- Be Open to Other Airlines

The best offers are often on airlines with lower influence on the market. It goes without saying that newer airlines are willing to work harder to impress. Typically, the "home carrier" can afford to be less aggressive on fares in its home market, while competitors must use lower fares to attract passengers. If travelling from Singapore to Europe, it will almost always be cheaper to book Finnair or KLM than Singapore Airlines, while the opposite may be true in the other direction. Don't discount low-cost carriers. There are some excellent options for Business Class travellers, plus many major airlines operate an alternative cheaper subsidiary carrier. The Business Class offerings may not be the same premium product as the primary airline, but finding great seats and elevated perks for less cost is still possible. Check out some of these great alternatives: JetBlue – a New York-based low-cost airline. Jetstar – a subsidiary of Qantas. Eurowings Discover – a long-haul leisure airline of the Lufthansa Group. Scoot Airlines– a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. Flydubai – Dubai-based low-cost airline.

10- Consider Alternative Airports or Hubs

Being prepared to fly to other places close to your destination can bring down the cost of a Business Class flight. Sometimes an alternative airport is nearby, which may be easily reached by car or train. For example, flying to or from Düsseldorf may be cheaper than flying in or out of Brussels or Amsterdam. This strategy may not make sense for short trips but can work well for long-haul flights. It may even make sense to reposition by air to a different country for significant savings.

11- Take Advantage of Companion Fares

Airlines are looking for ways to make Business Class tickets available to the more price-sensitive leisure market at reduced fares without losing revenue from less price-sensitive corporate travellers. Known in the industry as "ringfencing", one way airlines do this is to offer "companion fares", which are only available when a minimum of two passengers travel together on the entire trip. These fares are typically available on a campaign basis. 

Industry tips can help you to secure a great deal for a Business Class flight that won't break the bank. The key is to plan, be flexible and stay informed. The best way to do all that is to ensure that you sign up for the BusinessClass.com newsletter to keep on top of all the latest deals and offers.

Search & Book your next Business Class flight with BusinessClass.com today!

The cost of Business Class tickets can vary by the day based on factors including the Business Class product on offer, the time of booking, promotional fares, the route and customer demand. Remember, the best-value Business Class flights are not necessarily the cheapest.

Airlines with the Most Cost-Effective Business Class:

• Jetstar Airways
• Air Canada rouge
• Cebu Pacific
• Eurowings Discover

READ MORE: The Best Business Class Airlines in the World

BusinessClass.com  searches hundreds of travel sites simultaneously to help you find the best premium flight offers. BusinessClass.com also compares all the major hotel suppliers to give you the very best prices in the finest hotels. 

What is the best search engine for finding Business Class flights?

For finding the cheapest Business Class flights, BusinessClass.com takes the lead as an exceptional search engine. Our site specialises in curating the most exclusive options, ensuring a seamless and luxurious travel experience.

What is the cheapest Business Class airline?

See the previous list of low-cost airlines offering Business Class tickets. But note that these Business Class products will not be comparable in terms of overall passenger experience to that of a major airline, which will also have competitive rates during promotional periods. Also some airlines have several tiers of Business Class ticket. In the lowest, you will still get an amazing seat/suite but may not have access to the Lounge and maybe less luggage allowance. You get what you pay for!

In a bid to break free from the image of substandard in-flight fare and potentially influence new customers to their brand – airlines now...

Thai Airways Royal First Class is truly exclusive, with the service currently only available from Bangkok on routes to London Heathrow...

The Indian Ocean nation of Maldives is a dream holiday destination – ideal for families, couples and increasingly singletons looking for an...

• Travel, Tourism & Hospitality ›

Business Travel

Business travel in the U.S. - statistics & facts

How much does business travel contribute to the u.s. tourism sector, most expensive u.s. business travel destinations, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Business travel spending in the U.S. 2010-2025

Number of business travel jobs in the U.S. 2019-2021

U.S. inbound business travel spending 2020, by source region

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Business Travel Spending

Global business travel spending 2001-2022

Top U.S. travel management partners 2020

Online Travel Market

Leading travel companies worldwide 2022, by sales

Related topics

Recommended.

• Tourism worldwide
• Travel and tourism in the U.S.
• Passenger airlines
• Billionaires around the world

Recommended statistics

• Premium Statistic Global business travel spending 2001-2022
• Basic Statistic G20 nations: business travel spending 2021
• Basic Statistic Share of tourism spending in leading global travel markets 2022, by type
• Premium Statistic Number of business travel jobs in the U.S. 2019-2021
• Premium Statistic Readiness of U.S. travelers to take business trips 2021

Expenditure of business tourists worldwide from 2001 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

G20 nations: business travel spending 2021

Expenditure of business tourists in G20 countries in 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Share of tourism spending in leading global travel markets 2022, by type

Distribution of leisure and business travel spending in the leading travel markets worldwide in 2022

Number of jobs supported by business tourism in the United States from 2019 to 2021, by segment (in 1,000s)

Readiness of U.S. travelers to take business trips 2021

Willingness to travel for business purposes in the United States as of October 2021

Volume of business tourism

• Premium Statistic Business travel volume in the U.S. 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Growth rate of domestic business trips in the U.S. 2017-2026
• Premium Statistic Inbound business tourism volume in the U.S. 2011-2021
• Premium Statistic Main source countries for U.S. inbound business travel 2022
• Premium Statistic Average monthly trips by U.S. business travelers 2022, by type

Business travel volume in the U.S. 2010-2021

Number of trips made by business tourists in the United States from 2010 to 2021, by main destination (in millions)

Growth rate of domestic business trips in the U.S. 2017-2026

Percentage change in the number of trips made by domestic business tourists in the United States from 2017 to 2022, with forecast until 2026

Inbound business tourism volume in the U.S. 2011-2021

Number of business visitor arrivals from overseas to the United States from 2011 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Main source countries for U.S. inbound business travel 2022

Leading countries of origin for overseas business visitor arrivals in the United States in 2022 (in 1,000s)

Average monthly trips by U.S. business travelers 2022, by type

Expected average number of trips per month by business tourists in the United States as of September 2022, by type

Business travel spending

• Premium Statistic U.S. inbound business travel spending 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic U.S. inbound business travel spending 2020, by source region
• Premium Statistic Main source markets for U.S. inbound business travel spending 2020
• Premium Statistic U.S. outbound business travel spending 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Main recipient countries of U.S. outbound business travel spending 2020
• Premium Statistic U.S. domestic business travel spending 2019-2026
• Premium Statistic Daily business tourism expenses in the United States 2018-2021
• Premium Statistic Highest-priced U.S. business travel destinations Q4 2022

U.S. inbound business travel spending 2010-2021

Expenditure of international business tourists in the United States from 2010 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Expenditure of international business tourists in the United States in 2020, by region of origin (in million U.S. dollars)

Main source markets for U.S. inbound business travel spending 2020

Leading countries for international business tourism in the United States in 2020, by share of total spending

U.S. outbound business travel spending 2010-2021

Expenditure of international business tourists from the United States from 2010 to 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Main recipient countries of U.S. outbound business travel spending 2020

Leading countries of destination for business tourists from the United States in 2020, by share of total spending

U.S. domestic business travel spending 2019-2026

Expenditure of domestic business tourists in the United States from 2019 to 2022, with forecast until 2026 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Daily business tourism expenses in the United States 2018-2021

Average business travel cost in the United States from 4th quarter 2018 to 4th quarter 2021 (in U.S. dollars per day)

Highest-priced U.S. business travel destinations Q4 2022

Most expensive cities for business tourism in the United States in 4th quarter 2022, by average daily cost (in U.S. dollars)

• Premium Statistic Biggest corporate travel spenders in the U.S. 2022, by booked air volume
• Premium Statistic Top U.S. travel management partners 2020
• Premium Statistic Favorite hotel brands for corporate travel during COVID-19 in the United States 2021
• Premium Statistic Predictions on reduction of U.S. corporate travel spend due to green goals 2025
• Premium Statistic Predictions on corporate travel spending in the United States 2022, by destination

Biggest corporate travel spenders in the U.S. 2022, by booked air volume

Leading companies for business travel spending in the United States in 2022, by booked air volume (in million U.S. dollars)

Leading travel management companies in the United States in 2020, by number of top partnerships

Favorite hotel brands for corporate travel during COVID-19 in the United States 2021

Best hotel brands amid the COVID-19 pandemic according to business travel managers in the United States as of September 2021

Predictions on reduction of U.S. corporate travel spend due to green goals 2025

Expected impact of companies' sustainable initiatives on business travel spending in the United States in 2025

Predictions on corporate travel spending in the United States 2022, by destination

Expected change in international business travel spending according to travel managers in the United States in 2022, by region of destination

Bleisure travel

• Premium Statistic Adoption of digital nomads' way of living in the U.S. 2022
• Premium Statistic Major reasons to take bleisure trips for U.S. business travelers 2022
• Premium Statistic Favorite trip length for U.S. bleisure travelers 2022
• Premium Statistic Favorite countries for U.S. Americans to work remotely 2021
• Premium Statistic Most important features at accommodations for U.S. bleisure travelers 2022

Adoption of digital nomads' way of living in the U.S. 2022

Share of employees planning to adopt a digital nomad lifestyle in the United States as of February 2022

Major reasons to take bleisure trips for U.S. business travelers 2022

Main motivating factors to combine business with leisure trips for corporate travelers in the United States as of February 2022

Favorite trip length for U.S. bleisure travelers 2022

Preferred length of stay for trips combining business with leisure activities in the United States as of February 2022

Favorite countries for U.S. Americans to work remotely 2021

Preferred international workation destinations for remote workers from the United States as of December 2021

Most important features at accommodations for U.S. bleisure travelers 2022

Preferred accommodation amenities for bleisure tourists in the United States as of February 2022, by utility score

Travel behavior of remote workers

• Premium Statistic Workation destination choice of remote workers from the U.S. 2021
• Premium Statistic Motivations of U.S. Americans who work remotely to choose workation 2021
• Premium Statistic Duration of workations by U.S. Americans who work remotely 2021
• Premium Statistic Main concerns of U.S. remote workers when picking workation lodging 2021
• Premium Statistic U.S. remote workers' satisfaction with workation experience 2021

Workation destination choice of remote workers from the U.S. 2021

Distribution of remote workers from the United States as of December 2021, by destination type

Motivations of U.S. Americans who work remotely to choose workation 2021

Main reasons to combine work and leisure travel for remote workers from the United States as of December 2021

Duration of workations by U.S. Americans who work remotely 2021

Preferred length of trips involving work and leisure for remote workers from the United States as of December 2021

Main concerns of U.S. remote workers when picking workation lodging 2021

Main considerations to choose an accommodation for work and leisure travel by remote workers from the United States as of December 2021

U.S. remote workers' satisfaction with workation experience 2021

Evaluation of trips involving work and leisure by remote workers from the United States as of December 2021

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Business trip to the USA: Everything you need to know

So it’s time to take a business trip to the USA? We lay out all the common questions and what you need to know for your next trip. Keep reading.

By Liudmila Buga

February 9, 2024

In this article we will go into depth about business travel to the USA, the land of unlimited (business) opportunities. Here you will find valuable tips on entry, business etiquette and also on the trip itself. We have also compiled answers to the most frequently asked questions. 

Business trip to the USA: five tips

1. Entry to the USA

If you are entering from a country that participates in the USA Visa Waiver Program – and Germany is one of them – you do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days, but you must fill out a so-called Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) online before departure. Without this form you will be denied entry.

You will also need a biometric passport that is valid for at least 6 months. If you have been to Cuba in the last two years, or to North Korea, Iran or Syria in the last 12 years, you cannot participate in the Visa Waiver Program.

2. Consult the prohibited and restricted items list

The United States has published an extensive list of banned or restricted items that may not be imported into the country. Examples of prohibited items include dangerous toys, cars that do not protect their occupants in the event of an accident, bushmeat, certain cured meats, unripened cheese, or illegal substances such as absinthe and Rohypnol. 

Restricted means that special licenses or permits are required from a federal agency before the particular items can be imported into the United States.

It’s worth looking at this list very carefully before departure to avoid any surprises at the airport, especially if you want to bring a small gift to your colleagues like cured meats and cheeses that haven’t been aged, make sure it’s allowed into the country as the American customs authorities are known for their strictness and thoroughness. 

3. Business is priority, then relationships

American business partners differ from their European counterparts in many ways. You don’t have to invest time in building a long-term relationship before business negotiations. Business always comes first, and relationship building is secondary. Americans are mainly concerned with negotiating a good deal for their company. Personal business relationships can still be built afterwards.

4. Informality is the cultural norm

The quest for independence is deeply rooted in American culture and Americans are known around the world for their informality. In fact, they prefer informal approaches whenever possible and are not fans of formalities and rules.

For example, American business people almost always address each other by their first names, are very enthusiastic in their approach, keeping language and manners as simple and inclusive as possible. 

The informality also applies to phrases and small talk at the beginning of meetings. The American expression “Let’s get straight to business” is no coincidence. As a sign of mutual respect and appreciation of the time invested, meetings should get down to business relatively quickly. Anything else could be interpreted negatively.

5. Punctuality is important

You should always arrive on time for meetings or appointments in the States. Lateness is seen as a sign of disrespect by potential business partners. If you might be late for an unavoidable reason, you should call the people you are meeting with to let them know in advance.

Booking a flight to the USA: what to consider

If you must stick to fixed dates when booking flights to the USA, you should book your flights as early as possible. If the travel dates are flexible, you can continue to monitor airfare and choose a cheap option up to a few weeks before the date of departure. However, it is important that you keep an eye on the airfare.

Beware of flights that are too cheap to be true. Some airlines to the U.S. have made it a habit to lure you in with cheap airfares, only to add surcharges for baggage, fees and payment methods.

As a general rule, flights are more expensive during the summer months than during the other three seasons. If you can travel outside of the hot summer season, that might work to your advantage price-wise.

Use a travel management platform like GetGoing for your business travel, where you can book flights and find good travel deals .

Transportation and driving in the USA

Unless you’re traveling to one of the megacities in the U.S., be prepared to drive to get to your meetings. Gasoline prices are heavily subsidized in the U.S. and therefore relatively affordable. Much of the population gets around by car. And well-connected public transportation is really only found in major cities.

To be on the safe side, it is recommended to rent a car. GetGoing makes it easy and convenient to choose a corporate rental car for your next business trip to the USA.

Other considerations for your business trip to USA

How much to tip in the usa.

Currently, the normal rate for tipping is around 18%. You need to know that many employees in the service industry in the USA are only paid a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. So they depend on a relatively high tip to be able to live on their earnings. 

So what happens if you don’t tip? Tipping is optional, but not really optional if you care about the welfare of employees in restaurants, cabs, hotels, etc. 

Electricity in the USA

The supply voltage in the USA is 120 volts. This is different from the 220 – 240 volts commonly used in Europe. You should make sure that your device is suitable for both voltages. Alternatively, you could use a voltage converter. Also remember to take an adapter with you, as the sockets in the USA are different.

Internet in the USA

Internet is readily available in the US with WI-Fi found easily at coffee shops and stores. However, there is not much competition in the U.S., so consumers often have only a few providers to choose from. As a result, internet costs are relatively high and speed and access tend to be poor even in urban areas.

Vacation in USA what to consider

The cultural norms, transportation options and other interesting customs, such as the high tip, of course also apply if you want to vacation in the land of opportunity. There’s an incredible variety of landscapes, cultures, customs, history and sights to explore in the 50 states, and you’ll be impressed, if not overwhelmed, by the sheer range of activities and options.

Need help planning your business trip to the USA? We’ve got you covered.

Schedule an appointment today to learn more about GetGoing.

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The Cost of Business Travel: Per Diem Rates in the U.S.A. and Abroad

Per Diem Rates Updated: May 2019

Today’s most successful corporations are constantly sending their people on the road. Business Travel is essential to serving customers and growing the business, but it’s also a serious expense that needs to be managed. Hence, the need for per diem rates.

One way to reduce travel costs where possible is to understand where the most expensive cities to visit are located. Understanding the per diem rates in different locations can help you better plan events, all-hands meetings, retreats, business meetings and other important gatherings.

Here’s a look at the cost of doing business per day in top cities here in the United States and around the world.

Per diem rates in the united states.

If you were asked to guess the most expensive travel rates in cities in the United States, there’s a good chance you could name the top 5. These are major cities that have a reputation as expensive places to live and to do business. Here they are as provided by Business Travel News :

Top 5 U.S. Per Diems

What’s more interesting is to look at cities that are getting either more or less expensive than they were to visit the previous year. Chicago and Washington, D.C. jumped up dramatically in per diem from 2016 to 2017 — as did Jackson, MS, increasing 11.9% in 2017.

The list of cities decreasing in per diem from 2016 to 2017 is filled with regionally important metro areas — but ones that are unlikely to be significant centers of commerce for large corporations. Little Rock, AR dropped 9. 3%, Wichita, KS Dropped 7.1% and Rochester, NY is down 5.6% in 2017.

For comparison’s sake, the average per diem across the largest 100 cities in the United States was $321.97 — a 1% increase over 2016.

Per Diem Rates in International Cities

Doing business internationally is a little more complicated given that exchange rates play such an important role. A war, a terrorist attack or even a significant policy shift (like the United Kingdom exiting the European Union) can have a dramatic impact on the currency values and, hence, the cost of doing business there.

You might be a little more surprised by the list of most expensive foreign per diem rates. They include the following (also provided by Business Travel News ):

Top 5 International Per Diems

As you can see, Switzerland dominates the top 5 with 3 cities that cost well over $400 a day — Zurich, Basel and Geneva. Tokyo checks in at No. 1 and growing with an increase of 7.9% over 2016. London remains in the top 5 at $468.63 a day, but it fell a staggering 15.3% between 2016 and 2017 — again, most likely because of exchange rates and issues related to the nation’s planned exit from the European Union.

The largest increases in per diem came in the South American cities of Buenos Aires, Argentina (31.3%) and Lima, Peru (17.1%), as well as the Osaka-Kobe area of Japan (20.1) — which is less than a 4-hour train ride from list-leader Tokyo.

London wasn’t the only international city to see its per diem tumble in 2017. Your corporation may be unlikely to send Travelers to Muscat, Oman (24.8% decrease), Lagos, Nigeria (18.9%) or cities experiencing strife like Cairo, Egypt (18.6%) and Istanbul, Turkey (17.2%). But important international business centers also saw severe declines in per diem, including cities like Rome (15.5%) and Dubai (15.9%) — in addition to London’s steep fall.

The average per diem among top 100 international cities in 2017 is $292.57 — a 6.3% decrease from 2016.

In 2019, companies are operating under new guidance for per diem rates. These new per diem rates issued by the IRS went into effect on Oct. 1, 2018, and they will remain in effect until Sept. 30 2019. The rates are created using a “high-low substantiation method,” which simply means that some localities are considered “high-cost” while all other localities are considered “low-cost.”

High-cost localities include the same cities listed as most expensive above, including New York City and San Francisco. But they also include some seasonal destinations that might not seem as obvious. For example, Napa, CA is considered a high-cost locality only from May through October.

Every penny counts, of course, when you’re seeking return for your investment in business travel. If you’re looking for destinations for meetings or retreats, consider choosing low-cost localities where you will spend less per traveler. Also, if you need to do business in an area that is subject to seasonal changes in per diem rates, consider going during low seasons when you can save money.

Where to Find Per Diem Rates

Where you can find these new per diem rates? The U.S. government is perhaps the best source for per diem calculator options. Government per diem rates are set in the Continental United States by the General Services Administration, in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and other territories by the Department of Defense, and in international cities by the Department of State.

Check out the GSA’s per diem calculator for an in-depth look at the travel per diem in different domestic cities at different times of year.

How to Take Advantage of Per Diem Rates

What should these numbers mean to you? If you’re interested in maximizing your Business Travel budget, consider holding your all-hands meeting in Santa Barbara (a 3.3% decline year over year) rather than Chicago. If you do business internationally, now is the best time in recent memory to hold an event or visit significant clients in London, Rome and Dubai.

At JTB USA Business Travel, we offer clients a common sense approach to Business Travel. We provide tools, approaches and expert guidance that can help you make the best possible travel decisions and that can help you make the most of your investment in flights, hotels, rental cars, meals and more.

Contact us today about saving money and getting the most out of your Business Travel.

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Whether you’re a Traveler, Executive, or Travel Manager, travel expense management comes with its challenges. It’s no secret that the global economy hasn’t exactly been in spectacular condition over the last few years. According to Read more

The Trouble with an Airline Targeting Business Travelers Directly

You may have recently come across an airline targeting business Travelers directly. But is it really a good idea to bypass the middleman and book directly?  Airlines benefit from direct sales. Yes, airlines do commonly Read more

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As you begin to contemplate your business goals for the new year, your attention may be turning to sustainability. However, it can be difficult to know how to get started with sustainability. Carbon footprints, carbon Read more

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Deal alert: Domestic business-class round-trip flights starting under $200

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

To end the week, here's a roundup of some of this week's best domestic business-class fares across the United States, thanks to our friends at Scott's Cheap Flights .

This batch of deals features several nonstop business-class routes departing to and from Los Angeles and other cities, including San Diego and San Francisco, starting under $200 round-trip.

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter .

Deal basics

Airlines: Alaska, American and Delta. Routes include:

• LAX to SJC/SFO/SMF/LAS/ABQ/DEN/PHX and others.
• JFK to RDU/PWM/DCA/BGR.
• DEN/PHX/SMF/SLC/SJC to LAX.
• OAK/SMF/SLC/SAN/SFO/SJC to PDX.

How to book: Browse Google Flights and then book directly through the airline. Travel dates: Vary based on the route, but they start in March and go as late as January 2023. Book by: Two-three days.

This roundup includes deals for more than 60 routes. You can sign up for Scott's Cheap Flights , which sends out deals up to 90% off via its Premium membership. The service is free for 14 days and then $49 per year. You can also upgrade to the Elite tier for $199 per year and receive all the deals included in a premium membership plus premium economy, business-class and first-class alerts.

Read more: Meet the man responsible for bringing tourists back to New York City

Sample flights

There is wide availability out of Los Angeles, including the below routes:

• LAX-SJC, starting at $178 round-trip.
• LAX-SFO, starting at $198 round-trip.
• LAX-LAS, starting at $218 round-trip.
• LAX-PHX, starting at $256 round-trip.
• LAX-SAC, starting at $258 round-trip.
• LAX-DEN, starting at $376 round-trip.
• LAX-ABQ, starting at $378 round-trip.

There are also some decent flights to and from New York City :

• JFK-DCA, starting at $288 round-trip.
• JFK-BGR, starting at $308 round-trip.
• JFK-CLE/BTV, starting at $338 round-trip.
• JFK-BNA, starting at $378 round-trip.

To search this deal, browse your origin and destination cities on Google Flights and be sure to select business as the class. The majority of flights you'll find for this deal are for business class on American and Alaska, which both offer one free carry-on, two free checked bags, more legroom, recliner seats, priority boarding, free meals and free changes.

Maximize your purchase

Don't forget to use a card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express ( 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel , on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), Citi Prestige® Card (5 points per dollar on airfare), Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees), Chase Sapphire Reserve (3 points per dollar on airfare), American Express® Gold Card (3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2 points per dollar on travel). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.

The information for the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Bottom line

Treat yourself for surviving another week by booking this business-class deal before it's too late.

Related: Cheeseburgers and planespotting: Why I made the trek to the famous LAX In-N-Out

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Top tips on how to plan a business trip

Follow these 6 steps for an effective business trip:

• Make your travel arrangements well in advance
• Select your accommodation based on both price and convenience
• Create an itinerary

Research your destination

• Remember your electronics, accessories and travel documents
• Prepare for your meeting

In today’s digital world, we can communicate across different time zones at a moment’s notice. However, when it comes to brokering a big deal or fostering a solid and long-lasting business relationship, nothing beats face-to-face interaction.  

Corporate travel is still so important, and it’s equally important for anyone making a business trip to prepare thoroughly. When you arrive at your destination relaxed and well-prepared, you’re better equipped to make a good impression and focus on the purpose of your meeting. Preparation lets your mind focus on the here and now, making sure you stay on the ball in that all-important meeting. If you’d like to fine-tune how you get ready for your next excursion, follow these essential tips to become an effective business trip planner.

Make travel arrangements

Whether it’s your name on the travel documents or you’re a travel manager, planning business travel thoroughly is important. Your first step should always be to familiarize yourself with your company’s corporate travel policy . You’re making travel arrangements for a business trip, not planning a personal or a short break, so being compliant with your company policy is essential.

Next, it’s time to book your travel. This may involve traveling by air, rail, car hire or even boat. Think about the journey door-to-door, balancing travel times against cost and convenience. Visualize the various steps of the trip from A to B. Consider details like how long it will take to move between airport and railway station, the time it takes to fill out paperwork at the vehicle hire company, and whether luggage storage might be useful. Use multiple sources and different comparison sites, researching which companies are offering the best deals. Again, be aware of any budget restraints in your company’s travel policy.

Don’t forget the small details. Does the airplane have Wi-Fi so you can work on the move? Would leaving a day earlier allow you to arrive at your first meeting better rested and prepared? At this stage, the more carefully you prepare, the more confident and relaxed you’ll be when you depart.

Select your accommodation

Preparing business travel is, of course, only half the job. Choosing the best accommodation for your requirements is also essential. If you’ve only got one meeting place to reach, make sure you book a hotel that’s nearby – rather than be swayed by a more luxurious option that might be a stressful 45 minute trip away. Use maps on your smartphone to measure distances from the station or airport to your hotel – and remember the roads and transport networks will be busier at certain times of day.

Check your company’s hotel policies to see if there are any preferred hotels - you might be able to get a good deal too. When considering the cost, make sure you compare rates for similar types of accommodation and make sure you select something that’s fairly priced – some companies even stipulate a cost per day that would limit the choice of hotels.

It’s also a good idea to pay close attention to the amenities at the hotel. Some tourist-focused hotels may serve breakfast too late for your early starts, and as a business traveler you’re likely to want free Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, plenty of power points for charging your devices. CWT Hotel Intel gives travelers access to trusted peer hotel reviews and can be a handy tool for business trip planners.

Create a detailed itinerary

Your itinerary is your blueprint for a successful business trip. Use it to stay in control of every detail – from transport times and the names of those you’re meeting, to your travel reservations and hotel address. Be sure to allow yourself extra time on your itinerary for relaxing, meetings that have been delayed or overrun, and busy traffic. Consider using a specially designed tool like the myCWT app , which syncs your itinerary with work calendars, and allows travelers to share this with colleagues. This is handy from a communication and efficiency perspective, and as a safety measure if you’re travelling to an unfamiliar destination.

It may be that you’re traveling to a destination you are familiar with and feel comfortable in. Or, you may be entering unchartered territory. If that’s the case, research is essential to avoid unnecessary risk. For example, some cities are well known for pick pockets, so you’ll need to be extra careful when storing important and expensive items like phones in your pockets. Depending on where you’re going, reading up on the current political situation at your destination could also be prudent.

Perhaps you’re traveling to a city or country with a different culture and customs to your own. Avoid looking foolish or, worse, causing offence, by researching the differences in behavior and manners before you arrive. For example, if you’re taking potential clients for a meal, do you know the etiquette on tipping, or when to give people your business cards? Or, if you’re visiting a country where English isn’t the common language, you could even learn a few basic phrases, such as greetings and “thank you”, which could make all the difference when making a good first impression.

Prepare your travel documents

Hours of careful preparation and research will all be wasted if you forget vital travel documents. Traveling between countries requires a current, valid passport, travel tickets and sometimes a visa. It’s key to research whether or not you need a visa as soon as possible, even if you are just transiting through a country, without stepping foot outside the airport. Some embassies can take a number of days or even weeks to issue visas. Even if you’re not traveling to a different country, you may need photo ID to clarify that your name corresponds to the one on the ticket - your passport or driving license are the best options so keep them safe at all times.

Remember your electronic accessories

Stay as productive as possible on your trip by taking a laptop or tablet – it’ll make your travel time really count. Remember to pack the relevant chargers and adapters, too. You can usually pick these up at the airport when you’re passing through, but being prepared is key and will save you time and money in the long run.

Get ready for your meeting

So you’ve followed all the right steps for planning a business trip, but what about your business objectives and the meeting itself? Making a note of what you hope to achieve on the trip can help improve your focus - even if you simply want to reach out to new contacts or gain a general overview of potential new client. Arm yourself with as much information as possible about the people you’ll meet, as well as the places they’ll be. What’s the dress code? If you’re visiting an industrial site, for example, will you need sturdy shoes? If you’re going to be giving a presentation, what format will it take and will your host have the equipment you need? Simply emailing ahead to check if they have suitable screens and cables can ensure you avoid embarrassing delays or confusion that would get your meeting off to an awkward start. That first impression counts so give yourself the best chance of making a good one.

By setting aside the time to prepare, conducting some detailed research and following these business travel tips, you can optimize your chances of a productive and enjoyable trip.

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• Travel Planning Guide

United States of America Travel Budget - Visit United States of America on a Budget or Travel in Style

• Is the United States of America Expensive?
• How much does a trip to the United States of America cost?
• The Northeast
• The Midwest
• USA Hotel Prices
• USA Cities: Hotel Prices by City
• Best Business Hotels in the United States of America
• Best Hotels for Skiing in the United States of America
• Best Hotels for First Time Visitors in the United States of America
• Best Luxury Hotels in the United States of America
• Best Romantic Hotels for Couples in the United States of America
• Best Hotels for Scuba Diving in the United States of America
• Best Party Hotels in the United States of America
• Best Pet-Friendly Hotels in the United States of America
• Best Beach Hotels in the United States of America
• Best Adults Only Hotels in the United States of America
• Best Hotels for One Night in the United States of America
• Best Hotels for One Week in the United States of America
• Best Cheap Hotels in the United States of America
• Best Family-Friendly Hotels in the United States of America
• Best Hotels for a Weekend Getaway in the United States of America
• Hostel Prices & Reviews
• USA Activities
• USA Tour Prices
• The Best Family-Friendly Tours to USA
• The Best Wildlife Tours to USA
• The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in USA
• The Best Historical Tours in USA
• The Best 10-Day Tours in USA
• The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in USA
• The Best 3-Day Tours in USA
• The Best 2-Week Tours in USA
• The Best 3-Week Tours in USA
• The Best Bicycle Tours in USA
• Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in USA
• The Best Christmas & New Years Tours in USA
• The Best Coach Bus Tours in USA
• The Best Adventure Tours to USA
• The Best Eco Tours in USA
• The Best Train & Rail Tours in USA
• The Best Cruise Tours and Packages in USA
• The Best Sightseeing Tours in USA
• The Best Cultural Tours in USA
• The Best Photography Tours in USA
• The Best Camping Tours in USA
• The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in USA
• The Best Walking Tours in USA
• The Best Tours Under $1000 in USA
• The Best Luxury Tours to USA
• The Best Tours for Seniors to USA
• The Best Contiki Tours to USA
• The Best G Adventures Tours to USA
• New York City
• San Francisco
• Los Angeles
• New Orleans
• How much does it cost to travel to the United States of America? (Average Daily Cost)
• The United States of America trip costs: one week, two weeks, one month

How much do package tours cost in the United States of America?

Is the united states of america expensive to visit.

• How much do I need for a trip to the United States of America?
• Accommodation, Food, Entertainment, and Transportation Costs
• Travel Guide

How much does it cost to travel to the United States of America?

You should plan to spend around $284 per day on your vacation in the United States of America. This is the average daily price based on the expenses of other visitors.

Past travelers have spent, on average for one day:

• $58 on meals
• $46 on local transportation
• $259 on hotels

A one week trip to the United States of America for two people costs, on average, $3,982 . This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

All of these average travel prices have been collected from other travelers to help you plan your own travel budget.

• Travel Style: All Budget (Cheap) Mid-Range Luxury (High-End)
• Average Daily Cost Per person, per day $ 284
• One Week Per person $ 1,991
• 2 Weeks Per person $ 3,982
• One Month Per person $ 8,532
• One Week For a couple $ 3,982
• 2 Weeks For a couple $ 7,963
• One Month For a couple $ 17,064

How much does a one week, two week, or one month trip to the United States of America cost?

A one week trip to the United States of America usually costs around $1,991 for one person and $3,982 for two people. This includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

A two week trip to the United States of America on average costs around $3,982 for one person and $7,963 for two people. This cost includes accommodation, food, local transportation, and sightseeing.

Please note, prices can vary based on your travel style, speed, and other variables. If you're traveling as a family of three or four people, the price per person often goes down because kid's tickets are cheaper and hotel rooms can be shared. If you travel slower over a longer period of time then your daily budget will also go down. Two people traveling together for one month in the United States of America will often have a lower daily budget per person than one person traveling alone for one week.

A one month trip to the United States of America on average costs around $8,532 for one person and $17,064 for two people. The more places you visit, the higher the daily price will become due to increased transportation costs.

Organized tours are usually more expensive than independent travel, but offer convenience and peace of mind that your trip has been planned by a travel expert.

The average price for an organized tour package in the United States of America is $397 per day. While every tour varies by total price, length, number of destinations, and quality, this is the daily average price based on our analysis of available guided tours.

• Golden West Adventure 14 Days - 22 Destinations $ 2,714
• Historic Trails & Blue Ridge Mountains 14 Days - 20 Destinations $ 2,974

Independent Travel

Traveling Independently has many benefits including affordabilty, freedom, flexibility, and the opportunity to control your own experiences.

All of the travel costs below are based on the experiences of other independent travelers.

The United States of America is a moderately priced destination to visit. It's about average with most other countries for travel costs. The prices for food, accommodation, and transportation are all fairly reasonable.

Within North America, which is known to be an expensive region, the United States of America is very expensive compared to the other countries. It is in the top 10% of countries in North America for its travel costs. There are only a few countries as expensive or more expensive than the United States of America in the region.

For more details, see Is the United States of America Expensive?

How much money do I need for a trip to the United States of America?

The average United States of America trip cost is broken down by category here for independent travelers. All of these United States of America travel prices are calculated from the budgets of real travelers.

Accommodation Budget in the United States of America

Average daily costs.

Calculated from travelers like you

The average price paid for one person for accommodation in the United States of America is $130. For two people sharing a typical double-occupancy hotel room, the average price paid for a hotel room in the United States of America is $259. This cost is from the reported spending of actual travelers.

• Accommodation 1 Hotel or hostel for one person $ 130
• Accommodation 1 Typical double-occupancy room $ 259

Hotel Prices in the United States of America

Looking for a hotel in the United States of America? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options.

Find the best hotel for your travel style.

Actual Hotel Prices The average hotel room price in the United States of America based on data provided by Kayak for actual hotel rooms is $171. (Prices in U.S. Dollars, before taxes & fees.)

Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world.

Recommended Properties

• MarBrisa Carlsbad Resort Budget Hotel - Kayak $ 195
• Springwood Inn Luxury Hotel - Kayak $ 240

Local Transportation Budget in the United States of America

The cost of a taxi ride in the United States of America is significantly more than public transportation. On average, past travelers have spent $46 per person, per day, on local transportation in the United States of America.

• Local Transportation 1 Taxis, local buses, subway, etc. $ 46

Recommended Services

• Black SUV Transfer From or To JFK, LGA, EWR - All Fees… Viator $ 230
• Honolulu Airport & Waikiki Hotels Private Transfer by Luxury SUV(up to 5… Viator $ 130

What did other people spend on Local Transportation?

Typical prices for Local Transportation in the United States of America are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Local Transportation prices in the United States of America, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Lightrail from Airport (for 2) $ 5.50
• Roundtrip Ferry to Bainbridge Island (for 2) $ 15
• 24 hrs Deuce Bus $ 7.00
• Taxi from Airport to the Strip $ 36
• Bus Ride $ 1.00
• Bus Ride $ 2.00
• MARTA Subway Ticket $ 4.00
• Subway Daily Pass $ 9.00

Food Budget in the United States of America

While meal prices in the United States of America can vary, the average cost of food in the United States of America is $58 per day. Based on the spending habits of previous travelers, when dining out an average meal in the United States of America should cost around $23 per person. Breakfast prices are usually a little cheaper than lunch or dinner. The price of food in sit-down restaurants in the United States of America is often higher than fast food prices or street food prices.

• Food 2 Meals for one day $ 58

Recommended

• Premium Valle de Guadalupe Wine and Food Tour Viator $ 259
• Hollywood Florida Walking Food Tour Viator $ 99

What did other people spend on Food?

Typical prices for Food in the United States of America are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Food prices in the United States of America, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Lunch for Two $ 28
• Lunch for 2 $ 32
• West Street Cafe (for 4) $ 70
• Anglers Restaurant for Lunch $ 29
• Cracker Barrel Lunch (for 4) $ 55
• Dinner for 2 $ 30
• Quick Lunch $ 12
• Breakfast $ 26

Entertainment Budget in the United States of America

Entertainment and activities in the United States of America typically cost an average of $55 per person, per day based on the spending of previous travelers. This includes fees paid for admission tickets to museums and attractions, day tours, and other sightseeing expenses.

• Entertainment 1 Entrance tickets, shows, etc. $ 55

Recommended Activities

• Private Scottsdale Off-Road Jeep Tour Viator $ 229
• Avi's Premium Dolphin Tour by Jet Ski Viator $ 275

What did other people spend on Entertainment?

Typical prices for Entertainment in the United States of America are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Entertainment prices in the United States of America, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Riverboat Cruise $ 70
• French Quarter City Tour $ 100
• Six Flags for 2 $ 96
• Acadia National Park Entrance Fee $ 25
• Sunset Cruise (for 4) $ 96
• Children's Museum (for 4) $ 32
• Patriots Point (for 2) $ 60
• Zoo & Aquarium Tickets (2) $ 75

Tips and Handouts Budget in the United States of America

The average cost for Tips and Handouts in the United States of America is $33 per day. The usual amount for a tip in the United States of America is 10% - 20% .

• Tips and Handouts 1 For guides or service providers $ 33

What did other people spend on Tips and Handouts?

Typical prices for Tips and Handouts in the United States of America are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Tips and Handouts prices in the United States of America, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Airport Luggage Storage $ 14

Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps Budget in the United States of America

Unfortunately, bad things can happen on a trip. Well, you've just got to deal with it! The average price for a scam, robbery, or mishap in the United States of America is $83, as reported by travelers.

• Scams, Robberies, and Mishaps 1 $ 83

Alcohol Budget in the United States of America

The average person spends about $27 on alcoholic beverages in the United States of America per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.

• Alcohol 2 Drinks for one day $ 27
• Luxury Private Wine Tasting Tour to Guadalupe Valley from San Diego Viator $ 259
• Memphis Signature Guided Brewery Tour Viator $ 59

What did other people spend on Alcohol?

Typical prices for Alcohol in the United States of America are listed below. These actual costs are from real travelers and can give you an idea of the Alcohol prices in the United States of America, but your costs will vary based on your travel style and the place where the purchase was made.

• Beer $ 7.30
• A Night of Shots $ 36
• Drinks at Camp Fire (for 2) $ 40
• Evening at a Bar $ 32
• Camping $ 20

Water Budget in the United States of America

On average, people spend $16 on bottled water in the United States of America per day. The public water in the United States of America is considered safe to drink.

• Water 2 Bottled water for one day $ 16

Related Articles

The united states of america on a budget.

At A Glance

• The U.S. is best visited during a series of several different trips. Because it is so large and difficult to travel around, you'll do better if you visit one region at a time. Some people choose to do a highlights tour and see New York, San Francisco and perhaps one national park. A better option is to pick one part of the country and explore it in more depth.
• If you want to avoid renting a car, the best area to visit is the northeast. There are trains and buses that connect the major cities, so it is possible to travel around without renting a car or taking a flight. The larger cities in these areas also have decent public transportation systems so it's easy to travel within the city without a car as well.
• One of the best seasons to visit this country is during the fall months. In many areas the leaves are changing color and the landscape is beautiful. Children are also back in school so the crowds are less and the prices are usually lower.
• You'll find plenty of great beaches on both coasts. If you're hoping to see a dramatic and rocky coast line, surf in the largest waves, and enjoy urban beaches, then the west coast is your best option. If you're looking for more natural beaches, warmer water for swimming, and more traditional towns, then head to the east coast.
• If you're hoping to visit any beaches then it is best if you avoid college spring break periods. These breaks usually fall between early March and late April and can be a busy and expensive time to be at the beach. Unless you specifically want to take part in the partying then your best option is to visit at a different time.

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8 Tips to Fly Business Class for the Price of Economy

W ith flight delays, cancellations, and rising prices, flying has become more stressful than ever. But if you can upgrade your experience from economy to business class, you may enjoy your time in the air a little bit more.

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Fortunately, there are ways to find cheap airline tickets – and you don’t necessarily have to fly the cheapest airlines to get them. Here are eight ways to find cheap flight tickets without spending hours booking travel or settling for economy class seats.

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1. Use Google Flights (Or Another Service) To Track Prices Automatically

Google Flights recently announced new features that make it easier to find cheap airline tickets, including business class flights, GOBankingRates recently reported . To use this service, you’ll need to be logged in to your Google account.

Once you set up the flights you want to track, you’ll get an email if the price drops dramatically. You’ll also get an email if it looks like the price may rise soon.

Other services, including Going, Expedia Flights Deals and Skyscanner, offer similar features. These services can also help you spot fare mistakes that can lead to substantial savings. ViaTravelers.com reported that some readers of their site recently found business class tickets for “just a few hundred dollars,” when they normally sell for $16,000 each.

If you receive a notification of a deal like this, don’t hesitate to make a purchase. Business class seats are normally refundable if your travel plans change.

2. Be Flexible About When You Fly

Having some flexibility in your travel dates can often lead to significant savings. Google Flights uses historical data to discover the cheapest dates and times to book a flight as well as the cheapest times to fly. Set up alerts for flexible travel dates to improve your odds of snagging cheap business class tickets.

3. Ask for An Upgrade at the Gate

Airlines don’t issue upgrades as frequently as they used to, but it never hurts to ask. Do everything you can to improve your odds by being nice and friendly to the agent. If there is a special occasion, such as a honeymoon or birthday celebration, it doesn’t hurt to mention it.

Also, understand that the bigger the airplane, the more likely you might get an upgrade. Research the plane in advance so you understand the odds. A flight with more empty seats, obviously, offers a better chance of an upgrade so flying during off-peak times may help your chances, too.

Check in as early as possible, too, so your name will be first on the list for potential upgrades. And let the airline know you’re willing to pay for a better seat.

Sometimes, you may be able to get a business class upgrade for a small fee on the day of your flight. But other times, the airline will grant this perk free.

4. Be Willing To Wait for a Later Flight

If you are on an overbooked flight and you volunteer to give up your seat, you may earn an upgrade to business class along with a travel credit for a future flight, as well as cash. The amount of compensation you receive depends on how desperate the airline is to free up space without mandating people to give up their seats, how overbooked the flight is, and how many other passengers are willing to give up seats.

5. Keep an Eye on Your Email for Upgrades

If your flight still has business class seats available a few days before your flight, they might email passengers offering an upgrade at a substantial discount.

Sometimes, customers will have to bid for the upgraded seat. You will enter the price you’re willing to pay and will find out shortly before your flight if your offer was accepted. Other times, you can pay whatever rate the airline is asking to guarantee a business class seat.

Of course, this tip involves booking an economy class fare and hoping you get lucky; if you have a long-distance international flight where roomier seats are imperative for you, try other methods to get a cheap business class flight.

6. Leverage Credit Card Points or Frequent Flyer Miles To Pay for the Ticket

If you have a sign-up bonus from a top-tier travel rewards credit card or have accrued points for several months, you may qualify for a business class ticket for free. You might also be able to upgrade a cheap airline ticket in economy class using your miles or points.

Using the same card for all your purchases and booking with the same airlines frequently (with a carrier that also allows you to transfer your credit card points) can help you earn the points you need for free or cheap business class fares.

7. Earn Complimentary Upgrades as a Frequent Flyer

If you earn enough miles on your airline of choice, you might qualify for free upgrades without having to cash in extra points. United Airlines, Delta Airlines, American Airlines and others offer many of their top-tier rewards members free upgrades on many flights. Read the fine print on your agreement or speak to a representative to see what’s possible.

8. Use a Travel Agent To Help You Find Cheap Airline Tickets

While you can track flight prices, call for upgrades, or keep an eye out for upgrade emails, it requires an investment of time and legwork for the extra leg room. Travel agents specialize in making sure their clients get the lowest priced fares and plenty of perks.

Sometimes, a travel agent’s industry relationships and leverage are enough to secure free upgrades to business class.

Bottom Line

You can find business class tickets for the price of economy – or even less. You just have to understand how airline bookings work and be privy to a few frequent flyer secrets to get those cheap flight tickets .

• The average price for a round-trip, business class ticket on an international flight is $1,911 in the first two weeks of September 2023, according to data from Kayak.
• You can upgrade from economy to business class in many ways. If you are willing to pay for an upgrade, you should be able to change your ticket as long as business class seats are available. You can also trade in frequent flyer points for an upgrade. You can sacrifice your seat for a later flight. Airlines often offer cash, plus business class upgrades, to travelers willing to give up their seat on an overbooked flight.
• You can find the lowest business class fare by booking through a travel agent or setting up price alerts with a service like Google Flights.
• As travelers seek that premium experience of business class, tickets have skyrocketed. A non-stop flight from New York to Paris on Sept. 22, 2023 returning one week later went for $980 in economy on Delta Airlines, while business class seats exceeded $5,000 for the same flight.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 8 Tips to Fly Business Class for the Price of Economy

Travel could be a good deal this summer. Here's when plane ticket prices will peak.

Spring is springing, and according to Hopper, it’s time to start thinking about your summer vacation plans.

New data from the online booking site shows some favorable trends for travelers in the next few months, including slightly lower airfares compared with 2023 and hotel and car rental prices that are more or less flat year-over-year.

Here’s what you need to know as you prepare to book, whether you’re looking for a domestic getaway or go on an overseas adventure. It’s also not too late to take advantage of deals on some last-minute trips.

How much are spring and summer plane tickets?

According to Hopper, the best deals right now are on domestic airline tickets. Round-trip flights within the U.S. are averaging $290 in April, but prices are expected to rise in the months ahead.

Hopper’s data shows prices for domestic flights will peak between May and June at $315 on average, then will gradually fall through the summer, reaching a low of $264 on average in September.

On a call with investors discussing first-quarter earnings Wednesday, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said summer travel demand has been pushed forward in recent years in part because schools, especially in the South, are finishing their summer breaks earlier in the year.

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This summer also will be a good time to travel internationally; Hopper data shows fares to most destinations abroad are down compared with last year. 

“Airfare to international destinations continues to improve following two years of bloated prices due to quickly recovering demand, high fuel prices and supply constraints. Airfare to most major regions of the world has dropped compared to last year with the exception of trips to Canada,” Hayley Berg, Hopper’s chief economist, said in the report. “International fares remain higher than pre-pandemic levels to most regions, as higher fuel prices persist and airlines continue to rebuild capacity to many regions.”

How much will a hotel room for the spring and summer cost?

Hotel prices remain mostly flat compared with the same time last year. Rooms in the U.S. are averaging $206 a night; better deals are available in some trending international destinations like Osaka, Japan, and Istanbul, Turkey.

According to Hopper, Las Vegas, New York and Chicago remain popular destinations in the U.S.

Will car rental prices rise this summer?

Car rental prices also haven’t increased much since last year and average $42 a day, according to Hopper.

The report shows most travelers rent a car for about four days, and warm-weather destinations like Orlando and Los Angeles remain popular pickup points.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Rising costs on flights: When to book, and what to expect

Prices to europe and asia are still up 10% and 44%, respectively.

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Airfare prices are expected to rise as soon as next month as travelers finalize summer plans, according to travel app Hopper. However, they will reach their peak by the end of May.

Hopper lead economist Hayley Berg reported on Tuesday that domestic round trip fares in April will average $290, which is slightly lower than last April. However, at their peak, around the end of May and early June, prices will average $315 per round-trip domestic ticket.

Those prices will fall back to an average of $264 per round trip ticket in the shoulder season, according to Berg. Shoulder season is an industry term for the off travel season. In the fall, it usually spans between September and October.

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In terms of international travel, airfare has continued to improve "following two years of bloated prices due to quickly recovering demand, high fuel prices and supply constraints." 

A traveler walks through Terminal C of LaGuardia Airport in the Queens borough of New York on April 7, 2024. (Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

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The cost of flying to most regions around the world dropped compared with last year, aside from Canada. 

However, fares remain higher than pre-pandemic levels "as higher fuel prices persist and airlines continue to rebuild capacity to many regions," Berg said. 

A Spirit Airlines plane taxis at Los Angeles International Airport on June 1, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Mario Tama/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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Compared with pre-pandemic times, flights to Canada are 32% higher. Meanwhile, flights for Europe and Asia are up 10% and 44%, respectively. 

However, even with the higher prices, Berg noted that Asia still remains top of mind for American travelers, specifically Osaka, Japan, and Seoul, South Korea. Fares for such destinations are over $1,300 per round-trip ticket on average. 

For Seoul, Hopper said a round trip ticket sitting at $1,463 is considered a "good deal."

Disruption rates:

Berg warned that travelers should also expect disruption rates to increase as peak travel months like June, July and August approach. For instance, last summer, delay rates jumped 25% between March and July.  

A CIO details 4 reasons why the recent inflation spike is temporary — and says the Fed will still cut rates 3 times this year

• The recent rebound in inflation is about to end, according to a note from Raymond James.
• The firm highlighted four reasons why rising prices should reverse, including an expected slowdown in economic growth.
• Raymond James' CIO also explained why he still sees the Fed cutting interest rates three times in 2024.

A string of back-to-back-to-back inflation reports that were stronger than expected has upended market expectations of what path the Federal Reserve might take this year.

At the start of the year, markets expected as many as seven interest rate cuts from the Fed in 2024, but that number has dwindled to less than two after the higher-than-expected March inflation report.

But according to Raymond James chief investment officer Larry Adam, inflation is set to reverse lower and the Fed is going to cut interest rates at least three times this year.

These are the four reasons why Adam is confident that the recent uptick in inflation is not the start of a new trend like it was in the 1970's.

1. Economic growth should begin to temper

While the economy should continue to avert a recession, it is unlikely to grow at such a strong rate like it did over the past two years, according to Adam.

Adam pointed to small business optimism falling to its lowest level since 2012. On top of that, the percentage of businesses reporting weak sales has jumped to its highest level in almost three years.

Additionally, the recent rebound in inflation during the first three months of 2024 has also led to a rebound in interest rates, with mortgage rates back above 7% and credit card interest rates hovering near record levels. Those high interest rates should dampen spending.

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"This, plus a softening labor market, dwindling savings, high credit card balances and rising delinquencies suggest the momentum in consumer spending should start to slow, but not collapse. This should lead GDP to falling below 1% in the next two quarters," Adam said.

If the economy slows, then so should inflation, and it should give the Fed more confidence to begin cutting interest rates.

2. Labor conditions will slowly ease

While monthly jobs reports have been solid, "there are cracks forming that point to weaker labor conditions ahead," Adam said.

Employment subsectors in the ISM Manufacturing and ISM Services indices have contracted recently, and small businesses have pulled back their hiring plans in recent months.

"In the latest NFIB survey, small business hiring plans fell to the weakest level since May 2020," Adam said, adding that temporary help services have been trending lower for over a year.

"While significant job losses are unlikely, these indicators suggest the labor market is likely to soften, keeping a lid on wages and dampening consumption," Adam said.

3. Leading indicators show falling prices

Forward-looking metrics that measure inflation suggest that the overall downward trend remains intact, according to Adam.

The strategist highlighted that the prices paid subsector of the ISM Services Index dropped to its lowest level since March 2020, suggesting that services prices should begin to fall. Meanwhile, goods prices should stay depressed as supply chains continue to normalize. 

"This, combined with additional Amazon 'selling events' and slowing demand for motor vehicles point to further discounting in the goods space and leaves us confident that a material acceleration is unlikely," Adam said.

4. Real-time inflation metrics show a sharp decline

While official government metrics show stubbornly high rent and used vehicle prices, real-time measures show considerably lower prices. The government metrics should eventually catch-up to the real-time metrics of prices, suggesting further disinflation ahead.

"If we replaced these components in the CPI with the real-time metrics, CPI would be less than 2% on a YoY basis! The point is: there should be plenty of disinflation in the pipeline as CPI converges with some of these more real-time metrics," Adam said.

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Find Business Class Flights to India

Latest business class flight deals to india.

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours

Good to Know - Business Class Flights to India

Faqs for india business class flights, which airline has the best business class amenities for flights to india.

Etihad has the best amenities for business class flights to India. The airline features a one-of-a-kind dovetail design with front and rear facing seats that generates a feeling of space, Indian-inspired cuisine, and a world of in-flight entertainment as well as airport lounge access and accessible storage areas. Additionally, the airline provides free Acqua di Parma amenity kits that include an eye mask, ear plugs, luxury socks, and a trademark fresh fragrance, ideal for a pampering luxurious flight experience.

Are there any airlines that provide flatbed seats for flights to India?

There are various airlines offering flatbed seats for business class flights to India, including Air Canada and Etihad. These seats are the most comfortable and allow you to catch a nap during the flight.

Are business class tickets to India refundable?

Business class flight tickets to India that are non-refundable can't be returned for a refund. If you are unable to use your flight ticket to India, you may be eligible to put its value for a future flight. However, your flight provider may charge you additional costs for any changes on a non-refundable flight ticket.

What is the most popular airline offering Business Class flights to India?

Among KAYAK users, United Airlines is the most popular airline offering Business Class seats on flights to India.

Which airlines offer Business Class tickets on flights to India?

Traveling to India and want to offer yourself a Business Class experience? Depending on the origin, the following airlines offer seats in Business Class: United Airlines, British Airways, Air Canada and Lufthansa.

How does KAYAK find such good deals on Business Class tickets to India?

KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to India for economy class as well as Business Class travelers.

How much is a business class flight to India?

Business class tickets to India differ in price depending on the departure airport. On average, business class fares cost $2,749 for a return trip to India, while the cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks was $843.

What is the best airline for business class flights to India?

The highest-rated airline by KAYAK users offering business class flights to India is Emirates, with an overall rating of 8.1.

Top tips for finding business class flights to India

• If you’re flying business class to India arriving at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM), you will find most business class lounges in Terminal 2, such as GVK Lounge. For those arriving at Dehli Airport (DEL), premium lounges are concentrated at Terminal 3.
• When flying on business class to India, be keen on your seat selection for a satisfying flight experience. With most airlines flying this route acquiring modern planes, you will notice diverse seating configurations, giving greater privacy and convenience. Typically, a window seat will offer more privacy for solo travelers, while the center seats are preferable for group travelers.
• Booking a business class flight to India offers you high-quality service and amenities, making your travel luxurious at a cheaper cost. You will relish chef inspired meals and a world class selection of beverages while onboard. Also, you will have internet connectivity, more legroom, and a comfortable seat, ideal for accomplishing last minute work while onboard.
• The most expensive day to fly Business Class to India is Friday, while the cheapest is Wednesday.
• To get a below average price, try to book at least 1 week in advance of your departure date.

Top 5 airlines flying to India

The staff, ground and air, at ANA was very helpful and friendly during check in, boarding and during the flight. This is the reason why I always fly ANA whenever I go to Manila. The food was not the best but the flight crew more than makes up for the shortfall.

For the price of a seat that is obviously crammed together so as to get many more people onboard and combined with the long flight duration, Free WiFi should be an automatic “Thank You for Flying with Us!” To charge an additional fee when so many other businesses offers it is a bit “cheap” on the airline’s part.

First I will say this was really NOT an ANA flight. ANA used a UNITED jet to perform this flight. I specifically booked with ANA because I did NOT WANT TO FLY UNITED FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS. So to spend $1800.00 and then discover after booking that it was going to be handled by United was very disappointing. I will be more careful next time when I book. The interior was very cramped in economy class; the dinner meal was terrible and also had extremely small portions for an international flight - the bread roll was ice cold and stale - that salad was very wilted; I’ve never had a “snack” that was so salty that it was difficult to eat; the breakfast “waffle” was practically unrecognizable. Really horrible meals for a very expensive international flight. Bathroom floor was also pretty dirty. I’m hoping my return flight is a real ANA airplane that is cleaned and serviced by ANA personnel with ANA meals. I will never book with ANA again if they continue to use UNITED airline jets. Yuck!!!🤢

This is a very long flight and the first time I have flown on a Japanese airline. I was very impressed with the staff. They worked hard and offered food and drink regularly. Plane was very well cared for. The let room was good . Food was ok but better than other airlines.

The space and bed was very comfortable , flight attendants very nice. The food was not tasty at all. I ordered the rib eye and it was so tough I couldn’t cut it.

Food was high quality. Crew was extremely professional, polite, attentive. Flights were on time. Plane had good media tech.

I wish the serve should leach and drink. Maybe because only 2hr

It was ok I thought because my flight was 1pm i was expecting to have lunch but it didn’t and after 7 hr finally dinner time was only chicken sandwich and next breakfast was an hour before plane land in Tokyo. so I should bring some food with me. Japanese flight attend was nice but the other was chewing gum and how she ask and respond to customers was not professional I felt. Maybe because Japan flight attendant is highly train and everyone looked very dress and professional so I was kind disappointed. I like that the bathroom was very clean .

Seat was roomy enough . The Asian selection for a meal was good . The tortellini was not very good. Service was excellent. O

It was very good. Lots of room with superior food and service. I will not hesitate to fly ANA in the future!

Please change the menu more often. The beef is not tender, more choice in ice cream flavor. Dessert is not good too.

Great crew, Japanese domestic flight is just a drink service but crew are very attentive

Again I paid for an upgrade on my credit card didn’t get it need a refund. . American I not good at gettin in contact for refunds.

I didn’t like the check in process I had to check in at the counter took too much time . Didn’t give the upgrade my seat .

l enjoyed the variety of good and drink choices. The flight attendants were very quick and efficient to our needs.

-Bathrooms were regularly checked/maintained. -Food was okay, but the miso soup was good. -Top of my foot got bitten by a bug when I took off my shoes and was only wearing my socks. It was swollen and very itchy for several days.

Truly impressive service in the air. After the main meal, they have a delicious a la carte menu that you can order anytime until 1.5 hrs prior to landing. Flight crew were so pleasant and very efficient. Wish I could fly JAL more often!

Attentive crew, great service with regular rounds of drinks and trash collecting. Only complaint is the food, which was mediocre.

Japan airlines is excellent. I had a great flight with them, and they are the consummate professionals. I booked my flight through Kayak and they sent it on to Underpricer. That felt really scammy. My Oneworld number would not attach to the reservation and I could not choose a seat. I called Japan Airlines and got one but it was in the back. Later I drove to the airport and worked with the excellent agents there to find a better one. Later that day, I got a phone call from Underpricer trying to upsell me the option of choosing a seat. It felt like a Spirit Airlines level crappy move. The flight itself was exactly as nice as you would expect from JAL. The meal was good and the flight crew was awesome.

Liked the food. Needs improvement: 1) the flat bed was very hard and the set up was not at all passenger friendly 2) the announcement were impossible to understand even in English. 3) the flight information on the monitor was terrible it showed a airplane with no information like altitude, airspeed, heading. You could not zoom in or out to orient the aircraft to where you were in the flight. 4) movies were old and very limited as was the music selection.

I commend the flight attendants on our SFO-SIN flight who went above and beyond to provide us with extra snacks and food. This type of service makes the flight experience personal and awesome.

It was a great flight Food was great Crew was spectacular

They made me check my carry on even though there was room We un boarded in a strange way but overall it was good

In general good, but the machine seems to be long in operation and some functions were restricted as e. g. Adjusting of seats.

People were so nice! Economy seats were small and cramped feeling for me. I’m slender and 6 feet tall

The singapore airline now compared before covid, I like the service before covid. SQ was the best of all airlines but now I am going to look for different airline if I am travelling in asia.

Flying with Singapore airlines is always excelllent - the crew are lovely and the food too is great. It’s my number 1 airline

Perfect experience from boarding through to leaving the flight, comfortable and personalised service from all staff, highly recommended

They are great with every aspect of customer service. Helped my elderly father and aided him with using the restroom.

The stewardess was very helpful all the way. My seat had an issue with headphones and after the replaced and gave me a new pair and noticed it was the seat I got a new chair to sit and a great ride back home

Staff were friendly, and provided great service. The food was plentiful and delicious. Food could have been hotter.

I was traveling business purposes and I only had one carry on and a personal computer back pack . My carry on was 8.5 kg little more than allowable. At jfk airport check in they did not let me carry it . I was little disappointed.

More leg room and comfortable seats at least for long flights

The entertainment selections are amazing. But the live TV is sometimes spotty. If you’re going to have it, then have it. If you can’t make it consistent, then, perhaps it’s better not to have it. The crew are always cordial when approached, but they seem to do the minimum and sit around, talking to each other in the back of the plane during the flight. I realize that delays are not always predictable, but I missed my flight in Dubai because we left 90 minutes late from Washington. I will say that Emirates took very good care of me in Dubai. But I would rather not be delayed.

Probably the best flight I’ve ever been on. Emirates first class is leagues beyond British airways and Lufthansa’s.

Great flight. Comfortable seats, courteous service, and excellent selection for entertainment.

Emirates flights always nice. Service rendered by the staff is superb.I am always comfortable in Emirates flights.

Serving food took so long . Almost time close to lend. Plus during landing air pressure in cabin cuss ear blocked took long time to unblock.

Emirates is usually on time, but not this trip. Also, during the flight the attendants disappear unless called upon. Very strange. I have watched the quality of Emirates service diminish over the last five years.

Food was not great. Crew members were created hassle with attitude at the gates and wasted my valuable time. I have been traveling in Emirates airlines many times. Over all not happy flying in Emirates airlines this time. Seats are very small and not comfortable. Seats looks like very very old and congested. It would be nice if they fix these kind of issues. I hope my next trip will be hassle free and comfortable journey in Emirates airlines. Thank you.

The flight was delayed but we got to our final destination.

I didn’t not like that I could not select my seat and ended up with the worse seat.

Uncomfortable seats on 14 hour flight. Mediocre food. On time and great crew.

The landing was bad and the hostess came two times and i was sleeping but when she served the person that nexts to me I woke up and she didn’t even asked me if I need any drink or snacks two times!!!!

The helpful attitude of the staff, and being a wheelchair passenger everyone was helpful and understanding. The trip was made comfortable by the upgraded seat which was given without my request, that was a great surprise. Thank you Delta.

Gate crew helping to scan tickets was a little short tempered with customers. Flight crew was very friendly, welcoming , and provided excellent service on board.

Plane was late because of a mechanical malfunction and the food listed as available was not. Flight attendants seem over worked and under paid. They just done seem happy. And that can be seen in their faces.

Everything went well with the flight. But one of the flight attendants had on inappropriate pants. She had on an old worn out pair of sweat pants. The back seam was unrivaled and should not have been worn for work. If I had not seen her in the airport with the standard type of luggage, I certainly would not have thought she was working for Delta. Not a good look at all for representation.

Waited 3 hours on a plane to de-ice due to manpower issues. Waited another hour and a half once we landed because of a gate issue. Missed my connections. Created. A total of 13 hours of delay.

Great!! I haven’t had a bad experience with them.

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