Business travel is entering a more considered phase. While the volume of trips has declined for many organisations following the rise of remote and hybrid working, the journeys that do take place are carrying greater weight.
In 2026 and beyond, travel is less about frequency and more about impact — measured in productivity, predictability and traveller wellbeing.
For SMEs in particular, every trip now needs to justify itself. Meetings are more intentional, itineraries tighter and expectations higher. According to industry analysts, this shift is reshaping how companies think about the entire travel experience.
“One of the biggest changes we’re seeing is that businesses no longer treat flights, transfers and meeting schedules as separate elements,” says Helen Morris, a UK-based corporate mobility analyst. “They’re being planned as a single, connected journey, with the aim of reducing friction and uncertainty at every stage. The priority is predictability and control.”
From fragmented trips to connected journeys
Historically, ground transport was often the least strategic part of a business trip, booked last-minute, outsourced to generic providers or left to the traveller to organise. That mindset is changing rapidly.
Delays, missed connections and unreliable transfers have a disproportionate impact on shorter, high-stakes trips, particularly for SMEs where time lost directly affects commercial outcomes. As a result, end-to-end journey planning is becoming central to corporate travel policies.
Technology is a key enabler. Real-time flight monitoring, integrated booking platforms and automated updates are helping businesses link air travel with ground logistics, creating smoother transitions from airport to destination. This is particularly valuable for smaller organisations that want efficiency without the complexity or cost of enterprise-level travel management systems.
Airport-focused operators such as 1ST Airport Taxis reflect this broader shift. Rather than operating as traditional point-to-point taxi services, their model is built around structured airport journeys, live flight tracking and timed pickups designed to absorb disruption before it reaches the traveller.
Reliability over flexibility
Traveller expectations are also evolving. While flexibility was once the defining feature of modern business travel, reliability is now just as important — if not more so.
Business travellers increasingly prioritise punctual arrivals, clear timings and a sense of safety, particularly after long flights or during early-morning and late-night travel. Ground transport plays a significant role here, influencing not only punctuality but also fatigue levels and overall trip experience.
This has elevated the importance of specialist providers within corporate travel strategies. “The transfer is no longer an afterthought,” Morris explains. “For many travellers, it sets the tone for the entire trip. A smooth arrival reduces stress, improves focus and ultimately supports better outcomes at the meeting or event itself.”
What SMEs need to prepare for
As organisations refine their travel policies for the coming years, several themes are emerging:
- Purpose-driven travel: Fewer trips, but with clearer objectives and higher expectations of return on time invested.
- Integrated planning: Flights, transfers and schedules planned together rather than in isolation.
- Technology-led logistics: Real-time data and automation replacing reactive problem-solving.
- Traveller wellbeing: Reduced uncertainty and fatigue becoming part of productivity metrics.
Examples from operators like 1ST Airport Taxis illustrate how the wider industry is responding to these demands. The emphasis is shifting away from speed alone and towards coordination, accountability and resilience across the entire journey.
For SMEs and business travellers alike, the future of business travel will not be defined by how often people move, but by how well those journeys are designed. In an environment where every trip matters, smarter logistics, particularly on the ground, may prove to be one of the most valuable investments companies can make