Rising Airfares: How travel managers can keep business travel costs under control 

Rising fuel costs, capacity constraints, and changes in airline operations continue to put pressure on airfares. For companies with regular business travel, this means higher average trip costs, more pressure on travel budgets, and a greater need to manage booking behaviour, policy compliance and total trip cost. 

According to Marjan van Vliet, Head of Account Management at ATPI Benelux, travel managers are now focusing more strongly on gaining control, not only over costs, but also over availability, travel policy and the overall traveller experience. 

For many organisations, flying remains essential, particularly for international business. At the same time, fares can change quickly, availability may be limited and travellers still expect flexibility and convenience. Travel managers therefore need to balance cost control with compliance and the practical needs of their travellers. 

Higher spending without increased travel 

“In the past, many client conversations focused on service, policy or optimising the travel programme. Now, clients are more often asking why the same journey costs more than it did before,” Marjan explains. 

Importantly, higher expenditure does not necessarily mean employees are travelling more frequently. 

ATPI’s analysis comparing January to June 2026 with the same period in 2025 shows that expenditure has increased by around 15% in some areas, depending on the route. This suggests that, on certain routes, the pressure is coming from a higher average cost per journey rather than from employees travelling more often. 

More than fuel prices 

Fuel remains an important factor in airline pricing, but it is only part of the picture. 

Airlines are also dealing with limited aircraft availability, delays in new aircraft deliveries and high load factors. At the same time, ATPI is seeing increased demand for premium economy compared with last year, which can also influence average travel costs. 

Route disruptions and temporary airspace closures add another layer of complexity. When airlines need to reroute flights, journeys can become longer, increasing fuel consumption and operating costs. 

For organisations, the impact is clear: travel budgets can come under pressure more quickly, even when employees are not travelling more often. 

For travel managers, the question is therefore less about predicting every price movement and more about knowing which levers they can still influence. 

Managed travel is about insight and control 

Managed travel programmes and negotiated airline agreements still offer important benefits, but their value goes beyond securing a discount on an individual ticket. 

Many fares include variable components such as fuel surcharges, while lower booking classes can disappear quickly as availability changes. A negotiated fare therefore cannot completely protect an organisation from changing market conditions. 

“The real value of a managed travel programme is increasingly about insight and control,” says Marjan. “You can see where costs arise, whether travel policy is being followed and where adjustments can be made.” 

Reliable travel data allows organisations to look beyond one expensive booking and identify wider patterns across their travel programme. 

Booking behaviour makes a difference 

Although travel managers cannot control airline prices, they can influence how their organisation responds to them. 

Booking earlier where possible remains one of the clearest opportunities. Last-minute bookings should be reviewed critically, especially when lengthy internal approval processes delay purchasing. Airfares can change within hours, so the original fare may no longer be available once approval is received. 

Clear policies around permitted travel classes can also help. In some cases, choosing an alternative airport, airline or connecting route may provide better value without significantly affecting traveller convenience. 

As Marjan stresses, the objective is not to reduce necessary travel, but to travel smarter. 

Organisations are also increasingly combining multiple meetings or appointments into one journey, which can contribute to both cost efficiencies and sustainability goals. 

Look beyond the ticket price 

Travel managers also need to consider how airline pricing itself is changing. 

The initial fare does not always represent the full cost of a journey. Depending on the airline and fare type, additional services such as seat selection, baggage, lounge access or onboard products can add to the final amount paid. 

For corporate travel programmes, this makes it increasingly important to look at the total trip cost, rather than comparing options solely on the headline ticket price. 

Staying in control for the rest of 2026 

Marjan expects airfares to remain relatively high and volatile throughout the rest of 2026. That does not mean every route will keep becoming more expensive, but capacity, fuel costs, operating expenses and changing route availability are likely to keep prices moving. 

Her advice to travel managers is clear: do not wait for the market to return to how it was. 

Instead, organisations should actively manage their programmes through data, up-to-date travel policies and booking behaviour. 

“Look beyond the price of an individual ticket,” Marjan concludes. “Where are people booking? When are they booking? Is the travel policy being followed?” 

Ultimately, the greatest opportunity lies not in one individual saving, but in maintaining continuous control over the entire travel programme: understanding where costs arise, guiding booking behaviour and making informed decisions before budgets come under further pressure.