TRAVEL FAQ
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Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of business travellers and bookers’ most frequently asked questions. Corporate travel certainly has some grey areas. Whether it’s with regard to your corporate travel policy, insurance, refunds and cancellations, hopefully, we can help you find the answers here. If not, please reach out using the form below and we will have one of our Travel Experts reach out to you.
What is Business Travel?
Business travel is a journey you make primarily for work, like visiting a client or attending a conference. A leisure trip is primarily personal, even if you answer a few work emails while away. If a trip combines work and holiday time, check your employer’s policy before booking so the business and personal costs are clear.
Does business travel count as working time?
Often, yes. Under UK working time rules, time spent travelling as part of your job counts as working time, as does travel between home and work at the start and end of the day if you have no fixed place of work. Ordinary commuting to a fixed workplace and travel outside normal working hours do not count.
What is a corporate travel management company?
A travel management company (TMC) helps a business plan, book and manage work trips. This can include flights, hotels and ground transport, but also travel policy, approvals, reporting and help when plans change. TMCs give your team a consistent way to travel and someone accountable in emergencies. See how The Travel Group’s corporate travel solutions work.
What does a business travel agent do?
A business travel agent arranges trips for companies and manages corporate travel programmes. They book flights, hotels and car hire, make sure travel documents are ready, advise on hotels and amenities, and provide resources for traveller safety and wellbeing. The aim is to make each trip convenient and cost-effective.
What questions should I ask a travel management company?
Before hiring a TMC, ask about its fees, how much of each trip it will manage and its service policies.
What should a business travel policy include?
Your policy should tell employees how to request and book a trip, who approves the trip and which suppliers or booking channels to use. The policy should also cover spending limits, travel class, accommodation, expenses, changes and cancellations, and what to do if a traveller needs help. Keep the rules easy enough for people to follow. A clear policy also makes it easier to manage compliance without slowing every booking down.
How should employees book business travel?
Start with your company’s approval process, then book through the agreed channel, whether that’s a travel consultant, an approved online tool or both. Share the right traveller details and any relevant preferences before tickets are issued. Booking through the agreed process helps your employer see trip costs and reach you if plans change. If you’re organising a trip for the first time, this guide to booking business trips is a helpful next step.
Is It Worth Travelling Business Class?
It depends on your trip, your company’s travel policy and what each airline’s business class actually offers. Compare the service and seat features for your route before choosing.
What business travel expenses can employees claim?
Your employer’s expenses policy covers necessary work-related transport, accommodation, meals and other costs such as parking or tolls. Keep receipts and check the approval rules before spending. What your employer reimburses and how a payment is treated for tax are separate questions; there isn’t one universal allowance for every trip.
What is the HMRC mileage allowance for business travel?
For the 2026/27 tax year, HMRC’s approved mileage rates for using your own vehicle on business journeys are:
Vehicle | First 10,000 business miles | Each business mile after 10,000 |
Car or van | 55p per mile | 25p per mile |
Motorcycle | 24p per mile | 24p per mile |
Bicycle | 20p per mile | 20p per mile |
These are approved rates used for tax purposes, not a requirement for every employer to reimburse at those amounts. If your employer pays more or less, the tax position can be different. Ordinary commuting is typically excluded.
What should employees check before international business travel?
Check your passport, visa or other entry permission, destination rules, insurance, currency and your employer’s travel policy well before departure. The right permission depends on the purpose and length of your visit, so don’t assume a holiday entry rule covers every work activity. Our flight booking guide explains when passport details are needed in the booking process.
What is business travel insurance, and do I need it?
Business travel insurance covers financial losses during a work trip, such as medical costs, trip cancellation, lost luggage, emergency evacuation and other travel hazards. It isn’t a requirement for travelling, but it can protect you against the cost of sudden accommodation changes, cancellations or unexpected problems.
What are must-have business travel accessories?
Comfort items such as an eye mask and travel pillow help on longer journeys. Practical extras include a passport holder, shoe covers, a luggage scale and a luggage cover.
How can businesses manage travel costs?
Use agreed booking channels and make sure travellers know what the policy allows. Also plan trips early where possible. Negotiated supplier rates can help, but so can fewer last-minute changes and a clear view of total trip costs, including hotels and ground transport. Review spending patterns regularly: are certain routes or booking habits driving avoidable costs? Read more about managing business travel costs.
What happens if a business trip is disrupted or cancelled?
Tell your travel contact as soon as you know something has changed. Flights, hotels or onward transport may need to be changed or cancelled, and fees or refunds can vary. A corporate travel partner can check the options to coordinate rebooking and keep the traveller and business informed. Make sure employees know whom to contact outside normal office hours before they leave.
What is traveller duty of care?
Traveller duty of care means taking sensible steps to look after employees travelling for work. This includes understanding relevant risks before a trip, sharing useful information, keeping contact details current and having a way to respond if something goes wrong. Our duty of care guide looks at the planning involved.
How can employees get help while travelling?
Use the support contact provided by your employer or travel partner. Keep your itinerary and booking references handy, and tell your contact where you can be reached. The Travel Group combines booking tools with experienced consultants, so there’s a person to help you work through changes when a self-service option isn’t enough. Learn more about business travel support.
What do business travellers want?
After a busy day, business travellers want comfort and privacy, along with clear communication with their employer and any travel management team. From a hotel, that usually means a clean room, good food, dependable check-in and check-out times and transparent pricing. From an airline, safety, affordability and transparent policies matter most.
How can a company improve its business travel programme?
Review your travel policy, approval steps, supplier arrangements, booking behaviour, spending data and traveller feedback. Where do travellers lose time, and where does your team lose visibility? A travel partner can identify the changes that would make booking simpler and support more dependable. Explore The Travel Group’s approach to corporate travel management.