Mobile meetings, AI agents and biometrics will have the biggest impact this year. According to the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) global business travel spending is expected to reach $1.64 trillion by 2025, up from $1.48 trillion last year. As the sector grows, the way employees travel – and how companies manage travel – continues to evolve. Amadeus Cytric, together with its partners at Globetrender, a travel industry forecasting agency, has explored the biggest changes expected this year and presents 2025 Business Travel Trends. 

Thanks to investments in AI-powered technology, business travel is becoming more flexible, streamlined, and tailored to everyone’s needs. Travelers themselves are becoming more aware of how their travel impacts their well-being and the world around them. By embracing these changes, companies can maximize the value of business travel, empower their workforce, and remain competitive in an ever-changing world.

Stig Thorup, Commercial Director, Travel Sellers, Amadeus in Scandinaviaannounces: "”Hybrid working practices, economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions are changing the priorities of both travel managers and their suppliers. Innovative technology is making business travel more seamless and efficient, enhancing the travel experience, while enabling different travel suppliers to allocate resources more efficiently.’

Here are the seven trends that will shape business travel in 2025: 

1. AI Agents are changing the way companies manage travel and expenses

The next wave of AI will move the technology from passive assistance to proactive functionality, with AI Agents working behind the scenes so travelers, travel managers, travel agents, and finance teams can focus on more valuable tasks. For the past two years, Generative AI has been about providing supportive assistance; from 2025 onwards, the next step will be defined by ”proactive functionality.”. 

Instead of simply responding to requests, AI Agents will independently anticipate travelers’ needs and help them rebook flights in real time, optimize itineraries based on changing schedules, and even help travel managers negotiate hotel rates and create, review, and approve expense reports. This shift means business travelers will experience a seamless, highly personalized journey with minimal manual input, allowing them to focus on productivity instead of logistics.

2. ”Meetings on the move” are becoming increasingly common to meet the needs of modern professionals

From strategizing with colleagues on flights to holding summits in privately reserved train cars, travel is increasingly becoming a collaborative opportunity for business travelers. With hybrid work models becoming the norm, the concept of ”meetings in motion” is emerging as a key trend. This means that business travelers can take advantage of the opportunities for informal interactions in real life to build connections and share ideas—think of it as a water cooler moment on the go. 

3. Tailored packages are reshaping how airlines interact with travelers and how companies manage business travel

New Distribution Capability (NDC) technology enables airlines and businesses to jointly create airfare packages that comply with business travel policies. 

Imagine booking a flight where every detail – from lounge access to in-flight Wi-Fi – is included in a personalized package that saves you time and money. This new level of customization is not just a distant dream; it is currently reshaping how airlines interact with travelers and how companies manage business travel. 

4. The new generation of frequent travelers is driving demand for more personalized and flexible business travel experiences

By 2025, Gen Z will make up more than a quarter of the global workforce, driving a shift in business travel toward flexibility, sustainability, and meaningful experiences. For this young cohort, international business travel is not just about fulfilling work obligations; they see these opportunities as pathways to both career advancement and personal growth. For these digital natives, business travel takes many forms.

Flexibility is at the core of Gen Z’s work preferences, with many seeking hybrid or remote work arrangements that allow them to travel while maintaining contact with their professional responsibilities. This shift is impacting corporate travel planning, with policies now including options to add annual leave to business travel.

5. Biometric gates enable seamless, digitized airport experiences 

As airports and airlines increasingly strive to offer travelers a seamless and hassle-free travel experience, physical passports and even smartphone boarding passes are becoming obsolete. Soon, travelers will be able to get through the airport without having to show travel documents or wait in long lines, simply by scanning their face at key touchpoints.

For frequent flyers, being able to move through an airport with minimal queues is important to keep stress levels down, so it's no surprise that 731% of the world's air passengers are interested in using biometric data instead of passports, according to IATA's GPS 2024 report. 

Vision-Box leads the way with its facial recognition and smart automation technology that makes the airport experience smoother and safer.

6. ”Jetset hacking” is a growing trend as business travelers choose to prioritize their well-being while traveling 

From sleep labs to cryochambers, wellness-focused innovations are redefining business travel, helping professionals stay healthy and productive while on the road. Whether it’s late-night client meetings or sleepless nights caused by jet lag, business travel can take its toll on people’s well-being. 

But as well-being becomes an increasingly important priority for travelers, high-flying professionals have become much more mindful of taking care of their mental and physical health when traveling for work.

7. Domestic and regional travel is increasingly prioritized as a response to a more fragmented environment 

In a world being reshaped by hybrid work, sustainability demands, and new political figures, domestic and regional business travel is emerging as a cornerstone of the business travel landscape.

In a highly complex globalized economy, the World Economic Forum (WEF) warns that companies must future-proof and diversify their logistics strategies as global trade routes become increasingly disrupted by factors such as climate change, geopolitical tensions, freight costs and crippling tariffs. In a more fragmented environment, companies may seek to prioritize trade with domestic or nearby suppliers whenever possible. 

Jenny Southan, CEO and founder of Globetrender, says: ”Business travel is evolving in response to changing workforce expectations, new technologies, and a greater emphasis on well-being and human connections. By 2025, those companies that adapt—whether through AI-driven automation, new meeting spaces, or a more strategic approach to traveler health—will be best positioned to maximize the value of business travel. This report explores the key trends shaping the future of business travel and provides insights to help organizations stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing landscape.”