## Business Travelers Prioritize Convenience and Flexibility: BCD Travel Survey Reveals Insights
In a world where time is money, business travelers are demanding convenient and flexible air travel experiences, according to the latest survey by BCD Travel. The research, conducted in August with over 1,300 business travelers, delves into the preferences, pain points, and overall satisfaction of corporate air travelers. The findings underscore the importance of streamlining business travel and offer valuable insights for companies looking to optimize their travel programs.
Convenience Reigns Supreme: Travelers are willing to pay for comfort and ease.
The survey reveals a strong desire for convenience throughout the travel process. Nearly half of respondents are willing to pay extra for seat selection, demonstrating a willingness to prioritize comfort. Furthermore, travelers are often willing to incur additional costs for checked and carry-on luggage if not included in the ticket price. Other sought-after services include priority boarding, extra legroom, and expedited security, highlighting the value business travelers place on time-saving amenities.
Flexibility is Crucial: Travelers seek options for disruptions and changes.
When faced with cancellations or flight changes, 50% of respondents opt for fully or partially refundable tickets. This preference for flexibility underscores the need for travel options that can adapt to unexpected travel disruptions or changes in plans. While price remains a significant factor, with four in ten travelers choosing the most affordable option regardless of refund policy, the ability to change or cancel flights provides peace of mind and flexibility for business travelers.
Price Still Matters, but Departure Time is Key:
While price continues to be a crucial factor in business travel decisions, with 51% of respondents highlighting its importance, departure and arrival times, and flight duration, are even more significant, influencing the choices of 71% of travelers. This finding emphasizes the need for companies to consider flight schedules that align with their employees’ needs and optimize travel time efficiency.
Company Policies and Travel Preferences:
The survey reveals that company travel policies play a significant role in influencing flight decisions, with nearly half (49%) of respondents stating that their company’s policy impacts their choices. This highlights the importance of clear and comprehensive travel policies that effectively guide employee travel decisions and align with the company’s objectives.
Travel Duration and Class Choices:
Most business trips last between two and six days, with a small percentage (3%) of respondents flying for single-day trips. On short-haul flights (under six hours), economy class is the most popular choice, accounting for 88% of travelers. Premium economy and business class account for a smaller percentage (9% and 3%, respectively). For long-haul flights, however, the trend shifts, with less than half opting for economy class, while 20% choose premium economy, and 30% fly business class. This suggests a greater willingness to invest in comfort and convenience on longer journeys.
Sustainability: A Growing Priority, but Cost Remains a Barrier:
The survey highlights a growing interest in sustainable travel practices, with 66% of respondents prioritizing direct flights, a choice that helps reduce carbon emissions. Other eco-conscious behaviors include visiting multiple destinations in one trip, using public transport to and from the airport, and bringing refillable water bottles. However, despite these positive trends, only a small percentage of travelers actively choose flights with lower carbon emissions, and a mere 16% make a conscious effort to fly less. This suggests that while sustainability is becoming more important, it often takes a backseat to cost considerations, with two-thirds of travelers admitting they rarely or never factor in environmental concerns if sustainable options increase costs.
Travel Policy Satisfaction and Frustrations:
The survey reveals a high level of satisfaction with company travel policies and preferred suppliers, with over two-thirds of respondents expressing contentment. However, a significant portion (30%) reported no major booking challenges, while a similar number experienced dissatisfaction when certain services, like seat selection or priority boarding, were excluded from their travel policies or required management approval. Common frustrations include cumbersome booking tools, restrictive service class options, and being encouraged to use low-cost airlines. One in six respondents also expressed concern that their well-being, particularly regarding overnight flights, isn’t sufficiently considered.
Common Challenges Faced by Business Travelers:
Business travelers frequently encounter uncomfortable situations during their journeys, such as a lack of overhead bin space for carry-on luggage, aircraft technical issues, flying in poor weather, heading to work after an overnight flight, and driving after long-haul trips. While some of these challenges are unavoidable, companies can significantly enhance employee travel experiences by reviewing and refining their travel policies.
Optimizing Travel Programs for a Positive Employee Experience:
By closely monitoring traveler preferences and concerns, companies can fine-tune their travel programs to strike a balance between cost efficiency, traveler care, and sustainability. BCD’s Program Managers offer valuable support in reviewing current travel policies, while the consulting division, Advito, specializes in policy assessments, benchmarking, and rewriting policies to meet evolving needs. Effective communication is essential for successful policy updates, and Advito’s Engage team provides assistance in developing communication strategies that effectively engage and inform travelers using the latest marketing techniques.
The BCD Travel survey provides valuable insights into the evolving needs and preferences of business travelers. By understanding these trends, companies can create travel policies and programs that prioritize convenience, flexibility, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing the travel experience for their employees while optimizing cost efficiency.