How to Reduce Business Travel Expenses: The Dos and Don’ts

Introduction

Cutting business travel costs without diminishing employee satisfaction or company culture isn't a simple task. The key is to balance cost savings with a positive travel experience.

Below are practical Dos and Don’ts, drawing on learnings from travel & expense automation and insights into outdated, manual processes.

The Dos: How you can cut business travel costs

1. Create employee incentives

Empower your team to control costs by introducing savings incentives.

Under these programmes, employees keep a share of what they save under their trip budget. According to CWT research, many companies achieve 20–30% reductions in travel expenditure this way. An excellent example of aligning employee motivation with your bottom line.

2. Facilitate flexible travel dates

Flexibility saves money. Encourage travellers to remain open on travel dates and set up a travel request system within your expense policy. This enables bookings during low-cost periods, avoiding peak fares without compromising schedules.

3. Allow smart policy exceptions

While policy is important, occasional rule-bending for better value can pay off. Authorise out-of-policy choices (a lower-cost airline or an unlisted hotel), when they're genuinely more economical. Track and review exceptions to maintain oversight without stifling efficiency.

4. Prioritise public transport

Taxis can be expensive and unpredictable.

Encourage travel by bus, tube, rail or tram, these options are cheaper and often faster. If taxis are necessary (e.g. early airport transfers), consider ride-sharing as a cost-effective compromise.

5. Promote shared transportation

When teams travel together, coordinate shared transport like minibuses or shuttles. It's economical, reduces the company’s carbon footprint, and also builds camaraderie.

The Don’ts: What you should do to avoid costly business travel mistakes 

1. Avoid last-minute bookings

Procrastination is expensive. The OECD confirms that advance travel planning secures better rates and simplified budgeting. Make it clear in your policy that last-minute bookings are discouraged, barring genuine emergencies.

2. Don't skimp on comfort

Privacy and comfort matter. House employees in their own rooms unless they explicitly ask to share. A good night’s rest is non-negotiable for professionalism and productivity.

3. Review deals with hotels regularly

Corporate agreements with hotels or accomodation are valuable, but not sacrosanct.

Always explore other options; alternative hotels or carriers may offer better value for longer stays or unconventional destinations.

The difference between automated travel management and doing it manually

Feature

Manual process (Excel, emails, paper)

Automated travel and expense systems

Policies enforced at pre-approval

Instant compliance checks

Digital audit trails

Accurate VAT reclaim tracking

Immediate policy notifications

Minimal manual effort and faster reimbursements

Reduced reconciliation issues

 

Final thoughts

Following these Do’s and Don’ts helps balance cost savings with employee well‑being. The real game-changer is automation. Implementing a travel & expense platform like Mobilexpense removes manual inefficiencies, enforces policy real‑time, increases visibility and drives significant savings. No compromising on traveller experience.