Corporate Traveler, the corporate travel division of Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), has announced the release of its SME Travel Disruption Guide, a resource designed to equip small and medium-sized enterprises with the tools and strategies needed to build resilient, adaptable travel programs that can seamlessly navigate disruption.

The guide, according to the announcement, brings together expert insights from executives at the forefront of business travel, spanning the travel management, airline, hotel and car rental sectors — including leaders from Corporate Traveler’s parent company, Flight Centre Travel Group, as well as American Airlines, Hilton and Enterprise Mobility.  

As the guide highlights, disruption is increasingly prevalent for today’s traveler, underscoring the unpredictability of business travel. Nearly 1 in 4 trips change after booking, whether due to a schedule or meeting change, shifting priorities at home or unforeseen circumstances. These situations can then be compounded by external factors, including weather and geopolitical uncertainty, making disruption an increasingly common part of the business travel experience. In 2025 alone, Corporate Traveler managed approximately 9,000 trip disruptions for US-based customers.

“Given the nature of business travel, having a strong partner to support those changes is paramount,” said Charlene Leiss, president of FCTG, Americas. “Add in everything happening in the world, from winter blizzards to summer storms and outages to the occasional delay, and having a strong program becomes essential.”

 Throughout the guide, Corporate Traveler examines the real-world, often hidden costs of disruption that extend beyond just the financial impact — from lost productivity when a traveler is stranded overnight, to increased duty of care responsibilities when a traveler ends up somewhere unexpected, to added administrative work that wasn’t initially budgeted for. As a trip gets closer to departure, rebooking fees can also increase, adding a direct financial consequence to an already disruptive situation.

To help build a reliable disruption plan, the guide outlines several key strategies to incorporate into travel programs. They include:

• Book early — Corporate Traveler recommends booking at least 14 days in advance to secure better pricing and availability, while giving travelers more options if plans shift.
• Leverage strategic partners — A strong TMC can help organizations unlock more value from a travel program, from maximizing loyalty benefits and negotiated perks to providing policy guidance and dedicated travel consultants — turning disruption from a moment of panic into a more seamless experience.
• Adopt proactive technology — By strategically leveraging AI and data, companies can identify which travelers are most likely to be impacted and take action before disruption occurs — including predicting missed connections before they happen so travelers can be rebooked proactively rather than left stranded at the gate.