Corporate travel policies across the US and Canada are showing significant positive momentum as companies sharpen policy clarity, enhancing the employee traveler experience through technology and strengthening compliance frameworks, according to a new report, The State of Corporate Travel Policies: U.S. and Canada 2025, from GBTA, in partnership with Altour, a TMC. The research examines how today’s corporate travel programs are evolving to better serve both organizations and their employee travelers.
The report also said that travel programs continue to face important opportunities for improvement — and a shift away from the lengthy, complex policies of years past — including more inclusive and AI-enabled guidance, clearer processes for non-employee travel and better traveler education around policy basics.
Suzanne Neufang, CEO of GBTA, said, “Travel policies are evolving in a way that reflects today’s realities and responsible travel decisions.” This research, she said, “shows organizations are evolving through technology and reassessing their policies through a more inclusive lens, along with strengthening the traveler experience.” At the same time, said Neufang, “the gaps identified in the research give our industry a road map for continued improvement.”
Gabe Rizzi, president of Altour, said, “Travelers want clarity, flexibility and a support system that helps them stay in policy — and companies want visibility and consistency.” Travel policies, he said, have been too complex for too long. There is a clear opportunity, said Rizzi, for AI to distill key details and improve compliance. This study, he said, “shows that when travel programs simplify communication, embrace technology and create policies that reflect traveler needs, everyone wins.”
Among the report’s findings:
- Nearly one-third of travel managers (32%) report that their company’s travel policy is stricter today than it was three years ago, while only 5% say theirs has become more lenient.
- 51% of travel policies exceed 10 pages, and almost one-quarter (24%) run longer than 20 pages. Only 14% of travel managers say their policies have gotten shorter in the past three years.
- Almost a third (32%) of buyers said they haven’t read or are unfamiliar with policies.
- 64% of travel managers express interest in AI-generated video explainers that summarize key policy elements.
- 28% cite out-of-policy hotel stays as a major challenge. Payment, air and meal compliance issues still exist but are less prominent.
- Only 13% of travel managers say their policies strongly address accessibility needs.
- Just 19% report clear guidance for diverse traveler groups, such as LGBTQ+ employees or women, who may face discrimination or unique safety concerns on the road.
- 26% of companies still manage “guest” travel — such as travel for job candidates, interns or clients — on a case-by-case basis, without specific guidance.
- Premium Economy has become a staple, with 64% of policies at least sometimes allowing it, while 58% of companies never allow Basic Economy. Business Class is permitted at least sometimes in 64% of for-profit companies, most often for flights of five to six hours or more.
- 52% allow airline seat selection at company expense.
- Half of companies (53%) prohibit home-sharing through platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, though smaller organizations tend to be more flexible. Only 30% set hotel per diems or rate caps, while 46% advise employees simply to book “reasonably priced” hotels, a vagueness that can contribute to compliance issues.
- Three-quarters of companies (75%) set either per diems or spending limits for meals, with spending limits being more common (53%) than fully reimbursed per diems (21%).
- While 51% of companies allow car rentals in every scenario, 33% now encourage ride-shares, taxis or public transportation in certain scenarios, a shift reflecting urban mobility trends and traveler preferences.
The report findings are based on an online survey of 168 corporate travel managers in the US and Canada conducted Nov. 19 to Dec. 10, 2025.
