Top business travel destinations 2025: U.S. leads

Published on Aug 29, 2025, 11:38 am CDT

6 min read

Leisure indicators in the United States have softened in 2025, yet corporate demand keeps moving. Fresh SAP Concur booking data for January 1 to June 30 shows the U.S. again ranked first globally for international business trips, capturing 15.3 percent of worldwide volume. Germany and the U.K. trailed at 7.7 percent and 7.6 percent. Cross-border traffic between Canada and the U.S. remained especially strong, confirming that many firms are still prioritizing in-person meetings despite macro noise.

Key Points

Why it matters: Corporate demand is propping up airlines, hotels, and airport investments.
Travel impact: Expect steady premium demand and resilient short-haul cross-border trips.
What's next: Lounges and long-haul capacity target high-yield travelers into 2026.
U.S. claimed 15.3% of international business trips in H1 2025.
Canada-U.S. corridor dominated Canadian outbound corporate travel at 78.6%.
Airfares largely steady year over year across major markets.

Snapshot

SAP Concur analyzed international air bookings made through Concur Travel in the first half of 2025 and compared them with the same period in 2024. Globally, corporate trip volume rose 2.6 percent, with Q1 stronger than Q2. The United States was the top destination worldwide with a 15.3 percent share, nearly double Germany, 7.7 percent, and ahead of the U.K., 7.6 percent. Canada-U.S. flows were particularly concentrated, with 78.6 percent of Canadian international business trips landing in the United States. Average international ticket prices were broadly stable versus 2024, reinforcing a picture of steady, price-disciplined demand rather than a price-driven surge.

Background

Leisure travel has been choppy in 2025, especially on inbound flows to the United States. The World Travel and Tourism Council expects international visitor spending in the U.S. to fall about 7 percent this year, roughly $12.5 billion, as a strong dollar and geopolitical frictions weigh on long-haul demand. U.S. Travel's monthly snapshot flagged a 14 percent year-over-year drop in international visits in March, with Canada showing notable declines in land and air segments. Ratings analysts have also warned of softer leisure bookings for some North American carriers, even as premium and corporate demand hold up. Against that backdrop, SAP Concur's mid-year booking read helps explain why airlines and airports continue to invest in products that serve road warriors, even if broader leisure indicators are mixed.

Latest Developments

SAP Concur H1 2025 rankings, top business travel destinations

SAP Concur's mid-year analysis ranks the top business travel destinations by share of international trips. The global top ten for January 1 to June 30, 2025: 1) U.S., 2) Germany, 3) U.K., 4) Canada, 5) France, 6) Spain, 7) Netherlands, 8) Mexico, 9) China, 10) Italy. The U.S. led at 15.3 percent, nearly double Germany's 7.7 percent, with the U.K. at 7.6 percent. Pricing remained stable versus 2024, and Q1 outperformed Q2, a seasonal pattern seen in prior years. For U.S.-based travelers, Canada, the U.K., and Mexico were the top three international destinations by share. The pattern underscores steady demand in large, mature trade corridors, rather than a sudden pivot to new markets. SAP Concur reports global volume rose 2.6 percent year over year in H1.

Canada-U.S. corridor holds steady despite policy noise

Corporate travel between Canada and the United States continues to punch above its weight. SAP Concur finds 78.6 percent of Canadian international business trips went to the U.S. in H1 2025, with overall Canada outbound volume little changed from 2024. Separately, Concur Travel data cited in coverage of a recent interview with Concur Travel President Charlie Sultan noted inbound business trips to the U.S. rose about 1 percent year over year in the first half, underscoring resilience amid tariff headlines. In short, cross-border meetings remain central to North American supply chains, sales cycles, and client service.

Airfares and seasonality, a steady read for planners

Average international airfares were broadly flat in Q1 and Q2 2025 compared with 2024. After peaking at $1,688 in Q1 2024, the average landed at $1,681 in Q1 2025 and $1,684 in Q2 2025. U.S. travelers paid the highest long-haul averages, about $2,675 per ticket, reflecting distance and market mix. Seasonally, Q1 again anchored the calendar, with an 8.4 percent decline in Q2 versus Q1 consistent with typical patterns. For travel managers, that combination of stable pricing and predictable seasonality should support budgeting and contract negotiations heading into 2026 request-for-proposal cycles.

Analysis

For airlines and airports, the key message is durability in premium and corporate segments, even as leisure softens in spots. Carriers with global networks can lean on contracted demand, alliance feed, and loyalty economics to defend yields when discretionary travel wobbles. That calculus helps explain why U.S. hubs continue to prioritize lounge capacity, premium cabins, and simplified curb-to-gate flows designed for frequent travelers. At New York, Qatar Airways' planned move to The New Terminal One in 2026, complete with its first U.S. lounge, is a textbook example of betting on high-yield traffic through a marquee gateway. See our coverage: atar Airways JFK Terminal One move set for 2026.

Onboard, airlines are also doubling down on privacy, bedding, and service polish to capture corporate share and upsell premium leisure. American's newest 787-9s add door-equipped suites and more premium-economy seats across long-haul routes, a configuration shift aimed squarely at travelers who pay for rest and productivity. Details here: American Airlines Flagship Suite Expands to Three Continents.

For travel managers, Concur's H1 snapshot offers tactical cues. If Q1 remains the volume anchor, advance-purchase windows and negotiated blocks should focus there. Stable average fares support multi-year benchmarks, while Canada-U.S. concentration argues for corridor-specific deals, including same-day change flexibility and short-haul lounge access. Finally, if leisure demand stays uneven into 2026, expect carriers to fine-tune capacity toward business-heavy days and dayparts, preserving price discipline on routes that matter most to corporate programs.

Final Thoughts

The first half of 2025 confirms a simple truth, business travelers still set the pace. With the U.S. drawing the largest share of international corporate trips, and Canada-U.S. flows holding firm, network planners and travel managers can plan around resilient corridors, predictable seasonality, and steady fares. Investments in lounges, premium cabins, and next-gen terminals should accelerate as airports compete for high-yield flyers into 2026. Watch how these choices shape routes, fares, and service levels through next year's bid season, especially across North America and Europe's major hubs for top business travel destinations 2025.

Sources

Topics

Business Travel