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Car rental rate increase forecasts for 2026-2027 (%) Source: Ground Monitor 2026-2027, American Express Global Business Travel, 24 August 2026 How often a direct flight is cheaper than an indirect flight Source: Book early, keep the direct flight, Thrust Carbon, based on analysis of Google Flights fares across 401 routes, 24 August 2026

Meteorologists forecast that the El Niño weather event currently developing over the Pacific Ocean will be the strongest since the 19th century. Combined with climate change caused by global warming, the expected outcome is extreme rainfall in some parts of the world, drought in others and, according to the United Kingdom’s Meteorological Office, 2027 “very likely” will be the hottest on record. All these developments could cause disruption for business travellers, but ther

World’s busiest airports (domestic and interntional passengers combined), July 2026 Source: OAG Internaitonal, July 2026 How confident are you that your organisation could successfully extract you if you were trapped in a country due to a dangerous situation or an emergency? Source: SAP Concur Global Business Traveller Survey of 3300 business travellers in 21 markets, 15 June 2026

They may not amount to as much as a flight or a hotel room, but food and drink still account for a significant proportion of the cost of every business trip – typically 18-21 per cent, according to the corporate travel booking platform Engine. What is more, costs are rising fast. We all know from personal experience that the price of dining out has rocketed since the beginning of the decade. But travellers’ food and drink expenses are hard for any business to manage. Flig

Dubai Airports continues to roll out advanced technology and new scanners that don't require passengers to remove their shoes, belts, or take out laptops and liquids when travelling through Dubai International (DXB). "We are reinvesting in new technology security machines, so you don't have to take liquids or laptops out of bags. The whole process is getting slicker, quicker, faster, and more convenient. The old days of take your belts off, take your shoes off, and all that s

Dubai has received six consultant proposals for the planned 55km Airport Express Line linking Dubai International Airport with Al Maktoum International Airport. Airport Express plans cover five stations and two branch alignments connecting major commercial and residential districts. Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority(RTA) has not confirmed a construction timetable or opening date for the proposed rail corridor. Six groups compete for design contract AECOM with Surbana Juron

SalamAir, Oman’s Low-Cost carrier, has announced the establishment of Salalah’s first-ever airline base, marking a strategic milestone in the airline’s growth and significantly strengthening direct international connectivity from the Governorate of Dhofar. The Salalah-based operation will initially serve three direct international destinations: Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Chattogram in Bangladesh, and Calicut in India. Bookings will open on 26 August 2026, with flights scheduled

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has enabled Jaywan, the UAE's national domestic card scheme, as a payment option on etihad.com, becoming the first airline to accept the card for flight bookings. Guests can now use a Jaywan card to book Etihad flights across the airline's expanding global network, with all bookings made directly through etihad.com. The integration has been designed to offer a smooth, secure checkout experience, reinforcing Eti

Whether at work or at home, people are integrating artificial intelligence into more and more aspects of their lives – and corporate travel is no exception. Described by tech guru Salime Nassur, founder and CEO of the consutancy maars and a former marketing director of Google Cloud, as “the most important development since electricity”, travel managers are investigating how AI can help them look after travellers and control costs faster and smarter than ever before. AI is b

Virgin's plan to run a rival rail service to Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel has moved closer after it was granted track access by the regulator. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said the approval will allow Virgin to run up to 20 daily return services between London and Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam, with the agreement running from 1 October 2030 to 31 December 2040. The ORR said it was "a significant step forward" in introducing competition on the route, where Eurostar

It’s that time of the year when many travel managers start work on their annual requests for proposal for their preferred hotel programme. Here are five key tips to keep in mind when putting together your RFP for 2027. Step 1 – Understand your needs Interrogate your data to to figure out in detail your buying strengths and weaknesses. Are there cities where you are booking more rooms than last year and may be able to negotiate a strong discount for the first time? Do you ne

Europe’s long-delayed ETIAS travel permit has been pushed back yet again, leaving travellers in limbo over when they’ll need to apply – and pay. Europe’s much-delayed travel permit for visa-free visitors has hit yet another roadblock, with the European Union now pushing back the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) indefinitely. The system, which will eventually require travellers from countries including the UK, US, Canada and Australia

Total net profit for global airline industry (US$) Source: International Air Transport Association financial outlook, 7 June 2026 Proportion of total travel spend outside official managed travel programme in 2025 (estimated for their own business by 1700 travel and finance managers in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America) Source: Trip.biz, 15 June 2026

Riyadh Air, the new national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that the airline is exercising options for 28 more 787 Dreamliner jets as part of its growth plan. The agreement to exercise most of the options from Riyadh Air's 2023 order also includes the conversion of 20 airplanes to the larger 787-10 variant. The announcement includes a previously unidentified purchase of 11 of the ultra-efficient widebody jets. Once the remaining

Emirates is revealing another world first in the sky, transforming journeys for Economy Class passengers with the introduction of the U-Dream Headrest - a game-changing new seat addition that enables Economy Class customers to experience a whole new level of support and comfort inflight. Backed by a significant investment, installation is already underway across Emirates’ fleet, reinforcing the airline's commitment to helping Economy Class customers fly better. The U-Dream is

Interview with Carsten Ostberg, CEO at Fragomen and Ali Haider, Partner.

The role played by dynamic rates in negotiated corporate hotel programmes FCM Travel and Flight Centre Travel Group corporate booking data, FCM Consulting Hotel Insights Report 2026, 6 May 2026 Regional trends in business travel hotel bookings processed through HotelHub, Q1 2026 Source: HotelHub by S4BT Index, Q1 2026, 11 May 2026

Dubai: Emaar Hospitality Group will open Vida Aljada in Sharjah later this year, bringing one of only two five-star Vida properties in the UAE to Aljada. The hotel will be Emaar Hospitality Group’s first five-star property in Sharjah and will add a new lifestyle hotel offering to Aljada, the mixed-use destination developed with residential, retail, cultural and leisure components. Five-star Vida brand enters Sharjah Vida Aljada will sit within Aljada’s creative district and w

Jetex, the world's favorite private aviation brand, and iGA Istanbul Airport, a global leader in aviation connectivity, have inaugurated the Jetex iGA Terminal. The strategic investment elevates Istanbul's position in the international aviation ecosystem and reinforces Türkiye's standing as a reliable harbour for global investors. The opening ceremony was attended by H.E. Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transport andInfrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye; Cemal Kalyoncu

Virgin Atlantic is rolling out a new autism awareness training programme for all cabin crew as part of its wider push to make air travel more inclusive for passengers with non-visible disabilities. Developed in partnership with autism travel specialists Autism Double-Checked (ADC), the accredited digital training launches this May and will become part of annual recurrent learning for all cabin crew. The programme is designed to give crew members practical tools to better sup