The air fare landscape in 2026
With cost management continuing to be a concern for corporate travel professionals going into 2026, according to the latest Business Travel News Europe survey, there is some good news in that air fares are expected to stabilise globally next year.
After a few years of price increases, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)’s 2026 Global Business Travel Forecast projects a more modest 0.4% increase for corporate travel airfares for the next 12 months. This indicates a shift towards more predictable pricing after years of post-pandemic volatility.
“This more modest fare increase can be attributed to airlines bringing back routes or introducing new ones because of demand, not just because they had them pre-pandemic,” Reed & Mackay Commercial Enablement Manager Jo Shilling explains. “This extra capacity on popular routes should help encourage fare stabilisation throughout the year.”
That said, there are still issues that may affect those air fares as the year progresses. Continued geopolitical conflicts, for example, mean airlines may need to reroute flights, which, in turn, increases operational costs.
Maximising value
As long-standing champions of NDC, Reed & Mackay now offers the opportunity to unlock better fares and more options with NDC content from 11 global airline leaders, currently varying across different markets. These include British Airways, American Airlines, Lufthansa Group*, Air France/KLM, United, Qantas, Emirates and Singapore Airlines. This is where TMCs can support clients to pull the right levers to meet their organisation’s needs with cost management.
“We are always striving to obtain the best-priced ticket for travel available at the time of booking and that will continue into 2026,” Shilling adds. “Yet one challenge travel managers may face next year is the ongoing changes to some airlines’ loyalty programmes. While we find the best price, it may not align with clients’ travellers’ loyalty programmes. As they balance the costs of their budgets, those in charge of corporate travel programmes may need to incorporate conversations with their travellers around choices that prioritise personal reward over keeping down costs.”
How Travel Management Companies (TMCs) can help
TMCs are essential partners when it comes to navigating rising airfares. As mentioned above, they offer access to broader content and negotiated fares through direct airline integrations. Plus support for sustainability goals, including CO2 reporting and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) options. And can offer guidance on balancing cost with employee wellbeing.
Airlines are continuing to invest in dynamic fare structures like NDC, through content, partnerships and technology infrastructure. Where there are direct integrations with airlines available, such as those Reed & Mackay supports with British Airways and with American Airlines, there is added access to richer buying choices and flexibility to manage these bookings.
Meeting sustainability targets
The quest to lower carbon emissions is another area driving positive change. Travel managers should work with their broader organisation to challenge their TMCs to meet the future view of sustainable travel and Net Zero targets.
Ready to find out more about managing your corporate travel air fare costs?
Get in touch
Mail [email protected] to discuss all of your corporate travel and event management needs.
*Lufthansa includes Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Swiss Airlines and Brussels Airlines.
