The US spends the most of any country on business travel, but growth rates are slower than the global averages, according to research from Mozio, an airport transfer and ground transportation platform. According to the research, the US travel sector continues to see steady growth, with a projected increase in 2026 of 4% year on year, which is slightly lower than the global average of 6.6%.
Other findings from the research included:
* In the US, the average business trip lasts 4.1 days. This is likely due to the US market skewing toward domestic trips, where shorter journeys are more common. That compares with markets like the UK, where international business trips are more typical so that the average is five days.
* The bleisure market will grow from $933 billion in 2022 to $2.3 trillion by 2030. More than a third (33.8%) of all US business trips already include a leisure component. The average bleisure extension is 4.4 days, nearly matching the length of a standard business trip itself. This suggests bleisure has moved from exception to mainstream.
* Gen X finds business travel less stressful than Gen Z. In the US, 52% of Gen Z travelers say they find business trips “very” or “fairly” stressful, compared with just 34% of Gen X.
* Purchases of “Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) protection are rising. Demand for premium coverage, such as CFAR protection, increased by 34%, reflecting businesses’ desire for flexibility in the face of geopolitical risks, extreme weather and other disruptions.
Nicole Kerr, CEO of Mozio, said: “Statistics on their own are just numbers. The real value comes from how travel managers and partners apply them. The trends we’ve highlighted here point to a clear set of priorities: Keep costs under control, protect travelers and adapt quickly to changing expectations.”
Kerr continued, “Advance agreements and centralized booking are more important than ever.” When managers know rates are climbing, she said, “locking in partnerships early with hotel chains and ground transportation platforms gives you an edge over competitors negotiating too late.”
