Research shows issues with travel policies
New global data from CTM reveals the majority of Millennial and Gen Z business travelers want to travel more, considering business travel very important to career progression and professional performance.
The global market research of 702 Millennial and Gen Z employees conducted in March 2025 looks at how much they travel, what they love about it, how they book it, their criteria for choosing suppliers and much more. It showed the majority of Millennial and Gen Z business travelers want to travel more for business; are booking their own trips; favor cost, convenience and reliability when choosing suppliers; and also consider sustainability when booking flights and hotels.
Eleanor Noonan, CTM’s global chief operating officer, said, “Millennials already make up roughly 75% of the global workforce, closely followed by Gen Zs, and as future business decision makers, it’s critical that we acknowledge and understand their unique views and expectations of business travel.” The research, she said, “has uncovered critical insights into how younger business travelers view the business travel experience, which is driving an evolution in how we design impactful, relevant travel management services for the future.”
Among the findings:
57% of respondents said that business travel is “very important” to their career progression (33% said “somewhat important”); 51% indicated that it is “very important” to their professional performance (37% said “somewhat important”); 45% said it is “very important” to their job satisfaction (41% said “somewhat important”); and 70% of respondents expect the importance of business travel to increase in line with their professional experience and seniority.
A large majority (86%) of respondents fly on business at least once a year, with 70% flying between one and five times. However, 55% would like to travel more for business. When respondents were asked what they enjoy most about traveling for business, the top three answers were: experiencing new destinations, collaborating with colleagues and partners, and taking a break from routine.
When booking business travel (self-booking or employer), 42% book with a TMC and 32% book directly with suppliers. Almost three-fifths (59%) of all respondents book their own travel.
Globally, 70% of respondents have a corporate travel policy, and 83% of those say they understand its objectives. Just 54% indicate the policy aligns with their personal travel needs and expectations. This drops significantly in North America, with just 59% of travelers laying claim to a policy; 76% of that segment saying they understand why it exists; and only 41% saying it aligns with their expectations.
When asked which features are most important when selecting an airline, the top three responses globally are: price, flight schedules (convenience) and on-time performance (reliability).
Despite sustainability not entering the top three criteria list for any region when respondents choose airlines or accommodation, over half of them said sustainability is a consideration when booking flights (55%) and hotels (51%). Fewer than half (46%) seek environmentally sustainable car rental services. More than half (57%) say they expect their employer to pay a premium for sustainable business travel services.
Loyalty programs failed to make the top three considerations for choosing a supplier, yet 43% of respondents globally always select travel suppliers based on their loyalty programs, and 38% sometimes do this. The most important features of a loyalty program were considered, both globally and in all regions, to be discounts and special offers; free flights/hotels and upgrades; and priority (fast-track security/boarding/baggage).
