5 key areas to unlock value and savings in your travel program

5 key areas to unlock value and savings in your travel program 

 

With business travel costs sitting among the top five lines in most profit and loss statements, ensuring your business travel program delivers real value has never been more important.

Our recent online poll with over 300 respondents revealed that 63% feel the pinch of travel costs while constantly juggling between keeping costs down and keeping their team happy.

But getting better value doesn't mean you have to turn into the office penny-pincher. Let's look at five key areas to maximise value and more savings in your travel program. 

Contents

Book a Demo

1. Travel policy compliance

Remember that 50-page corporate travel policy you created? Yeah, nobody’s reading that. The most effective travel policies are short, simple, and visible. Here's what a decent travel policy looks like:

  • One page (yep, just one!)
  • Written in plain language and easy to find
  • Simple steps for booking flights and approval
  • Detailed expense guidelines
  • Contact details for when things go pear-shaped

We helped streamline a leading technology distributor's travel policy and booking system, and guess what? They now enjoy a better approval process, optimised booking, and more travel compliance.  

Top tip: Include your travel policy in your onboarding pack and make it easily accessible. Review it annually to ensure it aligns with your business objectives and traveller needs. 

2. Pricing management and negotiations

Ever wondered how some companies always seem to get the best competitive rates? They negotiate. With corporate rates, you could be saving between 4-15% on selected New Zealand airlines, as found in research from Deloitte. Even if your travel spend isn't quite there for negotiated rates, there are still plenty of ways to save.

The savings breakdown is pretty sweet:

  • Special corporate rates at hotels across the country (including free breakfast and WiFi)
  • Discounts and deals on rental cars (plus fewer airport fees with SmartDrive)
  • Best fare of the day options across multiple airlines
  • Bulk booking discounts for team travel

The key is working with a travel management company (TMC) that can leverage their buying power and relationships to secure better deals than you could get on your own. 

3. Booking methods and support

Simple point-to-point domestic flights might be easy enough to book online, but what about those complex multi-city itineraries? Or when you need to make last-minute changes at midnight?

Nobody wants to spend hours comparing flights or sitting on hold with airlines. The right mix of online tools and expert support can save time and money. A proper travel program should offer:

4. Travel program optimisation

Here's a scenario we see all the time: A company thinks they're saving money by letting everyone book their own travel. Then they discover they've got thousands of dollars in expired flight credits and are paying premium rates because nobody's tracking the total spend.

Smart tracking helps you:

  • Spot booking patterns
  • Keep an eye on those sneaky unused tickets
  • See which suppliers give you the best deals
  • Prove to the boss that your travel program is worth every cent

Pro tip: Make sure you can access regular reports to help you spot trends and opportunities for travel budget optimisation before they impact your bottom line. 

5. Traveller wellness and benefits

Keeping travellers happy boosts employee productivity. In a 2024 market survey by Deloitte, we found that traveller safety and protection ranked very important for 92% of respondents, followed by traveller tracking and straightforward visa advice.

Must-haves for your business travellers:

  • Airline loyalty points
  • Hotel upgrades when available
  • Airport lounge access for long-haul flights
  • 24/7 support for disruptions
  • Clear steps for emergencies

Remember: A well-supported traveller is likelier to make smarter choices and stick to policy guidelines. 

Curious about your business travel savings potential?

Ever wondered what your business travel really costs beyond just the ticket prices?

At Corporate Traveller, our savings calculator can spot potential cost-savings across flights, hotels, and car rentals. Just punch in your numbers and get a personalised savings estimate in 2 minutes.

Calculate your travel program savings now → 

Related stories

About Flight Centre Travel Group

The Flight Centre Travel Group is one of the world’s largest travel retailers and corporate travel managers. The company, which is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, has company-owned leisure and corporate travel business in dozens of countries, spanning Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Europe, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Asia. ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) also operates the global FCM corporate travel management network, which extends to more than 100 countries through company-owned businesses and independent licensees, along with Corporate Traveller, the flagship business specific to the small-to-medium-sized enterprise sector. For more information, visit fctgl.com.