New data shows premium economy surging, human expertise gaining ground, and ‘bleisure’ travel on the rise
NEW YORK – 4 Sept, 2025 – ALTOUR, the leading global travel management company helping clients maximize the value of every business interaction, today unveiled new insights into the evolving landscape of corporate travel in 2025. Based on ALTOUR’s proprietary Business Travel Index, the data reveals that while overall travel demand remains steady, businesses are adopting a more strategic, value-driven approach – prioritizing personalized service, trip efficiency, and smarter spend.
Key findings from the ALTOUR Business Travel Index include:
- Travel demand is flat, but resilient. Domestic travel has dipped slightly (down 1%), while international bookings are up, reflecting a more selective and strategic approach to business travel.
- Human expertise matters more than ever. While 51% of travelers use online tools, nearly half (49%) prefer working with travel advisors. Among C-suite executives, who favor expert support for complex, high-stakes trips, that increases to 70%.
- Trips are shorter, but not vanishing. Hotel spend is down, while aviation spend is up, suggesting travelers are compressing schedules to make each trip more efficient and impactful.
- Premium economy is booming. With a 25% year-over-year increase, premium economy is now the fastest-growing cabin class, bridging comfort and cost. In comparison, economy grew by 10% and business/first class by just 3%.
- ‘Bleisure’ is on the rise. 39% of business travelers frequently or always extend work trips for leisure. That number climbs to 59% for international travelers and 56% for executives, presenting new opportunities for more tailored, experience-rich itineraries.
“We’re seeing smarter, more purposeful travel in 2025,” said Gabe Rizzi, President of ALTOUR. “Companies are being more selective, focusing on trips that truly matter, where face-to-face connection drives business impact. Whether it’s choosing premium economy to balance comfort and cost or turning to expert advisors for more complex itineraries, the emphasis is on making every journey count. It reflects exactly what we strive for at ALTOUR: helping our clients navigate complexity so their people can show up at their best, wherever business takes them.”
The ALTOUR Business Travel Index combines aggregated booking data with proprietary survey insights from U.S.-based business travelers, offering a comprehensive view of the behaviors shaping today’s corporate travel landscape.
To view the full ALTOUR Business Travel Index, please click on this link.
