The most expensive and the most popular US city for business travel in 2025 was New York; internationally it was London in both categories, according to Hickory Global Partners, a global corporate travel consortium. The ranking is based on 2025 booking data from the network’s platform for travel agencies, corporate travel departments and corporations.
The remaining top 10 domestically for expensiveness in order were: Chicago, Las Vegas, San Diego, Dallas, Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Houston and Columbus (Ohio). For popularity, they were Houston, Chicago, San Diego, Atlanta, Columbus, Las Vegas, Dallas, Orlando and Charlotte.
Internationally, the remainder of the expensiveness list were: Paris, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Singapore, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. For popularity, they were Rio, Paris, Toronto, Tokyo, Montreal, Calgary, Singapore, Amsterdam and São Paulo.
While major corporate hubs such as New York City and Chicago continue to remain among the most popular and tourist-heavy destinations regardless of price, said the report, cities such as Dallas and San Diego have seen an increase in average daily rate (ADR) as their popularity as so-called “second cities” continues to grow. Others, including Columbus and Charlotte, are beginning to see an increased demand because they serve as hubs for specific industries.
Cities such as London, Paris and Tokyo continue to command high rates for business travelers, said the report, but they remain popular because they offer expansive metropolitan areas with ample hotel inventory and meeting space. Other destinations, including Amsterdam, Singapore and Toronto, maintain a high ADR due to the local economy, but continue to attract business travelers from around the world because of local industries and the opportunity to extend trips for “bleisure” travel.
Chris Dane, president and managing partner of Hickory Global Partners, said, “As business travel continues to grow, companies across various sectors are looking to make business trips and conferences feel more luxurious and immersive in an effort to make the experience worthwhile.” While this comes with a higher price tag at times, he said, many are finding the cost to be worthwhile.
These findings, said the report, indicate that business travel is expected to remain strong in 2026, with global business travel spending forecasted to reach $1.7 trillion in 2026, an 8% gain compared with 2025. While specific destinations come with higher costs, said the report, demand remains high and companies continue to allocate budgets in order to deliver meaningful, high-quality travel experiences for employees.
