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4 Ways Business Travel Is Changing in 2026. Are You Prepared?

Jan 12, 2026

What New Travel Trends Mean for Crew Logistics, Lodging Costs & Workforce Travel Programs

Business travel isn’t slowing down—it’s evolving.

But for companies managing large field operations, it’s important to recognize that not all business travel is created equal.

What many teams still label as “corporate” or “business” travel is, in reality, workforce travel: the movement of crews across regions for construction, energy, mining, utilities, and transportation projects.

And that category behaves very differently.

Crews are still moving across regions for major projects, and that means travel programs are feeling the pressure. Airfare and car rentals may have calmed down, but hotels continue to push budgets higher, especially for rotational crews, long-term stays, and last-minute travel.

Here’s the quick snapshot of what’s shaping 2026:

Hotel rates remain stubbornly high, especially in workforce-heavy regions across the U.S. and Canada

Airfare is stabilizing, but aircraft shortages and capacity limits are keeping prices from dropping
Rental car costs are levelling out, though still rising slightly year over year
Crew demand is holding strong, even as traditional corporate travel cools
Short booking windows, shifting schedules, and cost control remain everyday challenges for travel teams

According to the latest GBTA Business Travel Outlook, global travel spending will continue to grow through 2026, driven heavily by hotel costs and limited room supply.

Spending hit $1.47 trillion in 2024 - a 10% jump from the previous year. While final figures for 2025 are still emerging, the July forecast projected $1.57 trillion, with overall spending expected to grow 8.1% in 2026.

North America is already well beyond pre-pandemic spending levels, which means the region’s tight hotel markets continue to influence workforce travel budgets.

For companies moving crews from job to job, these trends make strong travel tools, reliable data, and centralized management more important than ever. Unlike traditional corporate travellers, crews can’t opt into virtual meetings, every shift depends on reliable, well-managed travel and accommodations.

Below is what’s changing in 2026 and how LodgeLink helps workforce travel programs stay ahead.

Key numbers:

Global Average Daily Rate (ADR): $161 (2024) → $163 (2025)
North America ADR: $188 (2024) → $192 (2025) → $195 (2026)
Global occupancy: 60–70%
New supply: Lagging, slowed by high construction costs and cautious lending

Secondary and tertiary markets, where many crews stay, are seeing the tightest supply. Workforce-heavy regions like Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, the Dakotas, and Alberta will continue to experience elevated rates.

2. Airfare Is Stabilizing, but Capacity Limits Keep Prices Up

Airline prices aren’t spiking the way they did in previous years, but they also aren’t dropping. Aircraft shortages, delivery delays, maintenance backlogs, and mixed fleets keep costs elevated and capacity tight.

Numbers to watch:

Global ATP: $721 (2024) → $705 (2025) → $708 (2026)
North American ATP: $831 → $807 → $821
Global air traffic: ~4% above 2019
Aircraft backlog: 17,000 planes, equal to 14 years of production

Airlines continue to manage capacity carefully and prioritize yield over discounts, which limits opportunities for cost savings.

3. Ground Transportation Costs Are Levelling Out

After years of unpredictable swings, car rental pricing is finally stabilizing thanks to recovered fleet sizes and improved vehicle availability.

North America ADR:

$41.60/day in 2024
$43.00/day in 2025
$44.10/day in 2026

This steady, inflation-aligned growth gives travel teams more predictable budget planning, especially for industries that rely heavily on ground transport.

A fleet of trucks driving on a highway through a rural landscape, representing logistics and workforce transportation.

4. Workforce Travel Demand Remains Strong

Even with mixed economic signals, workforce travel hasn’t slowed down. In fact, industry optimism is rising. Infrastructure builds, energy projects, mining expansions, and industrial construction all continue to push crew-movement volumes higher.

Unlike corporate travel, where virtual alternatives cut some trips, crews must be onsite, meaning demand stays steady even when budgets tighten.

Persistent challenges:

Rising costs and tighter internal budgets
Short booking windows
Frequent schedule changes
Regional volatility across North America
Increasingly complex travel policies

Looking Ahead to 2026 and Beyond

Workforce travel is becoming more complex: rising hotel costs, constrained air capacity, industry-specific lodging needs, and fluctuating regional demand all play a role. With so many moving pieces, reactive management just isn’t enough anymore.

LodgeLink gives organizations a proactive way to manage travel, bringing bookings, data, invoices, and crew logistics together in one place. With better visibility and control, travel teams can keep projects on schedule, keep crews comfortable and safe, and keep costs from spiralling.

With the right tools, workforce travel doesn’t have to be a challenge; it can be a strategic advantage.

FAQs: Workforce Travel & Hotel Pricing in 2026

Why are hotel rates still rising if demand is normalizing?

Because new supply is constrained while operating costs (labour, insurance, energy) remain high. This keeps ADR elevated, especially in the U.S.

Will hotel prices drop in 2026?

Moderation is expected, but not widespread reductions. Some leisure-driven markets may soften, but workforce-heavy regions will remain firm.

Why is U.S. pricing so influential for global travel budgets?

The U.S. represents the world’s largest hotel market and a major portion of global business travel demand, making it the key driver of North American ADR.

How do dynamic and attribute-based pricing affect crew travel?

They create more price points, making it harder to compare room types. LodgeLink helps standardize comparisons so organizations can identify true cost.

How can companies manage crew travel costs effectively?

By centralizing bookings, using negotiated rates, tracking spend by destination, and monitoring extended stays, organizations can control budgets while keeping crews comfortable and on-site.

How does LodgeLink help with cost savings?

LodgeLink provides negotiated rates, extended stay visibility, consolidated invoicing, real-time reporting, and flexible supplier options to simplify cost management across multiple projects.

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