Every newsletter article, by year and month.

Roundtrip interview WBTF Final.mp4

Corporate travel spend appears to be expanding in 2026—not because companies are taking more trips, but because the same trips cost more.The broader economy offers little clarity on why now. Employment and…

Share of total business jet flight hours by business model, 2019-2025, %Flight hours region of departure, 2019-2025,%

A travel budget is not simply a forecast of airfares and hotel rates. It is a financial model of how an organisation moves its people—and, like any model, it is only useful if it captures the full cost of travel, not…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for August 2026 global passenger demand: • Total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was down 0.8% compared to August 2025.…

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, will deploy the retrofitted A380 on the Dubai-Paris route from 25 October 2026, introducing Premium Economy and the latest product and service to the French…

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will fly to Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast from 4 October 2026. The service to Red Sea International Airport puts a new holiday destination on our map…

ACI EUROPE, Amadeus, IATA, IDEMIA Public Security and SITA today announced the formation of the Responsible Biometrics Travel Industry Coalition, calling on EU policymakers to ensure the Digital Omnibus actively…

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) marked the tenth anniversary of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) assembly resolution to establish the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for…

Car rental rate increase forecasts for 2026-2027 (%)How often a direct flight is cheaper than an indirect flight

Meteorologists forecast that the El Niño weather event currently developing over the Pacific Ocean will be the strongest since the 19th century. Combined with climate change caused by global warming, the expected…

World’s busiest airports (domestic and interntional passengers combined), July 2026How confident are you that your organisation could successfully extract you if you were trapped in a country due to a dangerous…

They may not amount to as much as a flight or a hotel room, but food and drink still account for a significant proportion of the cost of every business trip – typically 18-21 per cent, according to the corporate…

Dubai Airports continues to roll out advanced technology and new scanners that don't require passengers to remove their shoes, belts, or take out laptops and liquids when travelling through Dubai International…

Dubai has received six consultant proposals for the planned 55km Airport Express Line linking Dubai International Airport with Al Maktoum International Airport.Airport Express plans cover five stations and two branch…

SalamAir, Oman’s Low-Cost carrier, has announced the establishment of Salalah’s first-ever airline base, marking a strategic milestone in the airline’s growth and significantly strengthening direct international…

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has enabled Jaywan, the UAE's national domestic card scheme, as a payment option on etihad.com, becoming the first airline to accept the card for…

Whether at work or at home, people are integrating artificial intelligence into more and more aspects of their lives – and corporate travel is no exception. Described by tech guru Salime Nassur, founder and CEO of…

Virgin's plan to run a rival rail service to Eurostar through the Channel Tunnel has moved closer after it was granted track access by the regulator.The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said the approval will allow…

It’s that time of the year when many travel managers start work on their annual requests for proposal for their preferred hotel programme. Here are five key tips to keep in mind when putting together your RFP for…

Europe’s long-delayed ETIAS travel permit has been pushed back yet again, leaving travellers in limbo over when they’ll need to apply – and pay.Europe’s much-delayed travel permit for visa-free visitors has hit yet…

Total net profit for global airline industry (US$)Proportion of total travel spend outside official managed travel programme in 2025 (estimated for their own business by 1700 travel and finance managers in…

Emirates is revealing another world first in the sky, transforming journeys for Economy Class passengers with the introduction of the U-Dream Headrest - a game-changing new seat addition that enables Economy Class…

Riyadh Air, the new national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that the airline is exercising options for 28 more 787 Dreamliner jets as part of its growth plan. The…

Fragomen.mp4Interview with Carsten Ostberg, CEO at Fragomen and Ali Haider, Partner.

The role played by dynamic rates in negotiated corporate hotel programmesRegional trends in business travel hotel bookings processed through HotelHub, Q1 2026

Jetex, the world's favorite private aviation brand, and iGA Istanbul Airport, a global leader in aviation connectivity, have inaugurated the Jetex iGA Terminal. The strategic investment elevates Istanbul's position…

Dubai: Emaar Hospitality Group will open Vida Aljada in Sharjah later this year, bringing one of only two five-star Vida properties in the UAE to Aljada.The hotel will be Emaar Hospitality Group’s first five-star…

Virgin Atlantic is rolling out a new autism awareness training programme for all cabin crew as part of its wider push to make air travel more inclusive for passengers with non-visible disabilities. Developed in…

Faster and simpler compensation process for delayed flights, fee-free child seating and air fares inclusive of carry-on luggage will become part of EU air passenger rulebook.On Tuesday, MEPs confirmed the changes to…

On 22 April 2026, the European Union reached a provisional agreement on the revision of the rules coordinating national social security systems for people moving across borders in the EU. This revision follows more…

Qatar Airways is expanding its services across international markets, and is resuming flights operations to Helsinki, Finland, and to Tokyo Haneda, Japan from 15 July.Qatar Airways flights to Helsinki (HEL)As part of…

When companies choose a card provider to handle their travel payments, the real work is only just beginning. Implementing a programme is a complex project that involves much more than handing out plastic cards to…

When President Trump returned to the USA from China in May, security staff took no chances. White House staff and reporters were only allowed to fly back to Washington on presidential aircraft Air Force One if they…

Visitors to Business Travel Show Europe in London at the end of June can confirm that travel managers still have to battle the long-standing problem of their travellers booking trips outside the official programme. A…

Selected Marriott properties in London have introduced day use rooms, giving guests access to a hotel room during the day without booking an overnight stay.The offer responds to the changing ways people are using the…

When authorities confirmed an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province, initial attention focused on Central Africa. However, the impact quickly extended beyond the outbreak zone. Within…

Oman Air has announced the launch of a new direct service between Muscat and Abu Dhabi, further strengthening connectivity within the GCC and expanding the airline’s regional network. Operating once daily, the…

Qantas will launch its world-first non-stop services between Sydney and London from October 2027, the first time the Kangaroo Route has ever been flown without stops from Australia's east coast.Today’s announcement…

Today, Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, partners with the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) Abu Dhabi to provide complimentary medical travel insurance with The National…

Economy passengers on Air New Zealand’s ultra-long-haul flight between Auckland and New York can book a spot in the airline’s bunk-bed style sleeping pods from May, which will take to skies in late 2026.In what the…

Roundtrip interview WBTF Final.mp4Interview with Sergiu Les, Managing Director at roundtrip and Kirill Matalov, Strategy Advisor.

American Express Global Business Travel, which is operated by Global Business Travel Group, Inc. (NYSE: GBTG) (“Amex GBT” or the “Company”), a leading software and services company for travel, expense and meetings &…

Virgin Atlantic has announced an accelerated rollout of Starlink, the fastest Wi-Fi in the sky, as the airline gears up to introduce free, high-speed WiFi across its entire fleet, helping customers bring their world…

Etihad Airways is significantly increasing the expansion of its Africa network, adding new routes to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ghana, Nigeria and Zimbabwe from Abu Dhabi, as part of its continued…

The legendary Jumeirah Burj Al Arab widely regarded as one of the most iconic luxury hotels in the world—is set to undergo a comprehensive 18-month restoration, marking a new chapter in its 25-year legacy.Standing…

Meetings and events are essential for your business but they can have a major impact on the environment. According to one source, a three-day conference for 1,000 people can generate up to 5670kg of discarded waste,…

W Riyadh – KAFD has opened its doors in the Saudi capital, marking the entry of the W Hotels brand into the Kingdom. Part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of more than 30 hotel brands, the 210-room property sits within…

Which best describes your organisation’s current use of AI in travel management?Top 10 most sustainable large airlines worldwide in terms of passenger CO2 footprint per available seat kilometre

Hotels can be glamorous places to stay: guests from around the world, lavish breakfasts, the buzz of the lobby. But for business travellers staying more than a few nights the attraction can soon diminish. Many would…

What travel management companies believe business travellers want (%)On-time flight arrivals by region, February 2026 (percentage arriving at the gate within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival time)

As Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector continues to accelerate, the Kingdom is further strengthening its position as a leading global destination, with an ambitious target of attracting 150 million tourists by 2030. In…

An electronic travel authorisation (ETA) lets you travel to the UK, Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man for up to 6 months.You can get an ETA for tourism, visiting family or for certain other reasons.An ETA costs…

The first plane to be welcomed at Frankfurt Airport’s new Terminal 3 – flight CZ8021 from Shenyang, operated by China Southern Airlines – arrived on the morning of April 23 at 5:25 a.m. The aircraft was handled at…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Etihad Airways today reported its strongest full-year financial and operational performance on record, marking its fourth consecutive year of profitability. The result reflects a year of rapid…

Launched as a proof-of-concept to demonstrate that zero status can be achieved in existing hotel buildings, VNZ is now transitioning into a scalable program with a trajectory to achieving 100 Verified Net Zero hotels…

Q: How long have you worked for Nomadic and what is your role there?A: I’ve been with Nomadic for almost two years. My role focuses on strengthening our global presence and elevating our service offering, especially…

Soaring jet fuel prices are forcing air fares upwards at their fastest rate in many years. Companies may be tempted to cut costs in response by permitting only essential travel. Yet blocking “inessential” trips like…

When business travel halted after 9/11 in 2001, British Airways ran a famous advertising campaign. It featured a British sales executive trying to win a contract by calling an American CEO on the phone. But a sales…

Milad reflects on the World Business Travel Forum third edition.Testimonials from WBTF - Milad Aljeitani (1).mp4

Business travellers have a new way to move around the GCC region: taking the train. Green, fast and comfortable, ambitious rail projects are taking shape in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Qatar that are…

Some companies spend as much on meetings and events as they do on regular corporate travel. Yet very often there are no controls on meetings even though there may be strict rules and processes for individual business…

Premier Inn Middle East has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Equitativa Real Estate, an international holding company providing real estate funding and investment management capabilities, marking an…

Qatar Airways, the operator of the world’s first and largest Starlink-equipped widebody fleet, has become the first carrier globally to enable Boeing 787-8 with Starlink. The airline has also equipped its entire…

Oman Air, the Sultanate of Oman's full-service national airline, has strengthened its multi-year partnership with Travelport, a leading multi-source content provider powering travel bookings for suppliers worldwide,…

WBTF x Uber for Business Interview Final.mp4Interview with Maria Elhelou, Head MEA region, Uber for Business

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, has announced the launch of the first-ever nonstop flights between the UAE and Calgary, creating a new strategic air link between the Middle East and Western Canada.…

Do the dealAirlines are less willing than in the past to give discounted fares to corporate clients, and the size of those discounts has in many cases shrunk. But there are still good deals to be negotiated,…

flyadeal, Saudi Arabia’s low-cost airline, has launched five routes from Madinah, its newest operational base in the Kingdom.The introduction of scheduled flights to Sabiha Gökçen in Istanbul and four domestic cities…

Taking a business trip can be difficult for any traveller. But if you use a wheelchair, or are blind, or in some other way among the estimated one in six of the world population with a significant disability…

Oman Air, the national airline of the Sultanate of Oman, has announced the launch of direct flights to Kigali, Rwanda, marking a significant step in strengthening air connectivity between Oman and the African…

Oman Air has announced the launch of direct flights between Muscat and Singapore, commencing 2 July 2026. The new service marks the airline’s latest link to Southeast Asia, increasing accessibility between the two…

Raffles is preparing to open a new ultra-luxury hotel on Jeddah’s Corniche, adding a high-profile coastal address to Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving hospitality landscape.Set overlooking the Red Sea, the impending…

Abu Dhabi, UAE – Leveraging its existing collaboration with CarbonClick*, Etihad Airways has introduced a new enhancement to its Etihad for Business (EYB) platform, enabling corporate clients to redeem EYB credits…

Pegasus Airlines has taken a major step toward its international growth goals with the agreement to acquire Czech Airlines, one of the world’s oldest airline brands and its subsidiary Smartwings, the leading leisure…

Q: When did you join Air France-KLM and what is your role there? A: I joined seven years ago, having spent almost my entire career in the airline business. My role is to ensure Air France-KLM continues to grow…

An essential component of your travel programmeIntroducing corporate payments for travel has huge benefits for many different stakeholders within a company. Your travellers will have a much more convenient way to…

Emirates will continue rolling out its retrofitted Boeing 777 and new A350 aircraft to key destinations across Europe, North America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Australia, bringing Premium Economy and its…

Business travel is always a fast-changing sector and 2026 will be no exception. Here are our predictions for the big issues set to cross travel managers’ desks over the next 12 months. The Middle East will lead…

Geneva – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released new estimates for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production showing that: • In 2025, SAF output is expected to reach 1.9 million tonnes (Mt) (2.4…

Making self-service reservations through a corporate online booking tool (OBT) is by far the most common way for business travellers to arrange their trips in Europe and North America. Self-booking is less common in…

Managing travel for an executive flying between two well-connected cities like Dubai and Paris is complicated enough. But if you’re a business which moves personnel to ships or oil and gas platforms, the challenges…

Explore the future of corporate mobility with Sabah Kahoul, 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐖𝐁𝐓𝐅, in conversation with Maria E. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐔𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬. Discover how Uber for Business is transforming business travel through…

Committed to rewarding loyalty at every stage of the travel journey, today Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced exciting changes to its award-winning Hilton Honors loyalty program. Debuting this January, Hilton will…

The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship today announced that Canada has lifted the visa requirement for citizens of Qatar. This change took effect this morning at 5:30 a.m.…

UTRECHT, The Netherlands, November 20, 2025 – BCD Travel has released its next Travel Market Report dedicated to a 2026 Outlook on key risks and solutions, updates on the state of air travel pricing, hotel room rates…

Marriott International has reached a new development benchmark in Saudi Arabia, announcing a combined total of 100 open and pipeline hotels across the kingdom following the just-announced signing of a 1,100-room…

On-time flight arrivals by region, September 2025 (percentage arriving at the gate within 15 minutes of scheduled arrival time)Challenges for 2026 anticipated by 601 global meetings professionals across eight…

Q: When did you join ITL World and what is your role there?A: I joined in September 2022 as the Corporate Sales Manager, with responsibility for new business acquisitions, development and relationship management,…

Why it’s important to boost your hotel attachment rateTravel industry professionals use the phrase “hotel attachment rate” to describe the percentage of air reservations where the traveller books their accommodation…

Emirates' retrofit programme enters its next phase, with 60 A380s and 51 Boeing 777s lined up to receive the airline’s latest cabin innovations. Starting from August 2026, the airline will introduce a host of new…

There is contrasting news for travellers crossing borders on international business trips.

Business at Flight Centre Travel Group's corporate brands was "strong" in the first quarter of its fiscal year, which ran through to 30 September.In its annual general meeting on Wednesday, Flight Centre Travel Group…

You’ve landed in a country you’ve never been to before. Your manager sent you to handle a few business meetings — a great opportunity, right? But somewhere between the airport and the hotel, the questions start…

Q: How long have you worked at the hotel?A: I joined Sofitel Dubai Downtown in 2021. It’s been a rewarding journey leading a flagship luxury hotel in the heart of Dubai and welcoming guests from around the world.Q:…

Starting from November 2025, all Economy Class fares on UAE-based carrier flydubai will now include complimentary meals and inflight entertainment. The change marks a significant step in the airline’s ongoing…

Hong Kong - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) launched the Integrated Sustainability Program (ISP) at the IATA World Sustainability Symposium (WSS) in Hong Kong.ISP is a certification program…

American Express Global Business Travel is investing more in its ambitions in the small and midsize client segment. The company last week launched Toolbox, a digital platform that puts a "freemium"-model consulting…

Step 1 – Collect your spend dataThe more you can show a hotel how much you already spend with it, and also with itscompetitors, the bigger the discount it is likely to offer. Potential sources for spend datainclude…

What happenedOne of the biggest acquisitions in the history of corporate travel finally concluded on 2 September when the travel management company American Express Global Business Travel bought its rival CWT for…

Etihad Airways accelerates growth with new routes to Addis Ababa, Medan, Phnom Penh and Zanzibar, strengthening Abu Dhabi’s hub connectivity

Riyadh, October 08, 2025, SPA -- Riyadh Air, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s new national carrier and a Public Investment Fund company, today announced the launch of its first daily flights to London Heathrow Airport,…

Top Three Markets for Seat Capacity in the Middle East, September 2025Global Business Travel Spend

SOUTHLAKE, Texas – 23 September – Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), a leading global travel technology company, today announced its first agentic solutions for travel – building on the expansive reach and richness of…

DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TX, September 17, 2025 – oneworld alliance and member airlines, in partnership with Breakthrough Energy Ventures (BEV), today announced the launch of a new investment fund designed to address the…

Today, Priority Pass has announced the launch of Priority Pass Private, a new luxury full-service airport experience tailored for the most discerning and typically high-net-worth travellers. Priority Pass Private…

Dubai, UAE – 8 September 2025: Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has announced that its A380 services to New York JFK will all feature four cabin classes, including the award-winning Premium…