Latest news with #FCMTravel
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Domestic Airfares Increased Less Than Inflation, According To Study
Domestic airfares have remained relatively steady since 2019. getty Despite inflation rearing its ugly head over the past six years, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) up by 26% since 2019, domestic airfares have remained comparatively steady, increasing at less than half the rate of inflation over that time period. Since 2019, economy fares are up 10.7%, with business class fares up just 1.5%. In contrast, the cost of a dozen eggs surged by 80% during this time, while a loaf of bread increased by 44.6%, a gallon of milk went up by 32.2% and a gallon of gas increased by 21.9%. The study tracked price changes for a range of items. FCM Travel FCM Consulting, a division of leading travel management company FCM Travel, has released a new analysis comparing the cost of domestic airfare in the U.S. to the overall rate of inflation. The study tracked price changes for a range of everyday household items – including eggs, bread, milk, gas and more – from 2019 to 2025. A key measure of inflation across the U.S. economy, the CPI reflects the average change in prices paid by consumers for a market basket of goods and services. In May 2019, a standard basket valued at $1 rose in price to approximately $1.26 by May 2025. Competition between air carriers has kept airfares at historically low levels, and has also led to better access to air travel for all Americans, according to In fact, nearly 90% of Americans have flown, half of them before their 16th birthday. Since airline industry deregulation in 1978, domestic fares have dropped nearly 50% (adjusted for inflation, including fees), and now passengers have more choices than ever. From 2000 – 2024, the number of competitors per domestic air trip rose, as did passenger access to lower-cost carriers. In 2021 two new low-cost airlines entered the U.S. air-travel marketplace. Airlines have been shifting their pricing strategies. getty 'In the U.S. aviation market, we continue to see strong competition among carriers, which has led to more stable airfare pricing over the years,' says Ashley Gutermuth, Head of FCM Consulting, Americas. 'Even as fuel prices and operating costs fluctuate, airlines have mostly avoided aggressive fare hikes on domestic routes in order to maintain yields and passenger load factors. Rather than raising base fares, airlines are instead shifting their pricing strategies and optimizing per-passenger revenue through optional add-ons and evolving loyalty program offerings.' Frequent flyers can leverage airline loyalty programs by accumulating points or miles through flights and other purchases, then redeeming these for rewards like free flights, upgrades and other travel perks. These programs also offer benefits such as priority boarding, lounge access and exclusive deals, enhancing the overall travel experience. In late January, travel demand began to slow. getty Jason Kramer, FCM Consulting, Global Senior Air Consultant, says, 'U.S. airline pricing strategies have remained mostly stable since the end of Q1 2025. However, earlier in the year, there was a distinctive shift driven primarily by macro-economic conditions, and a couple of high-profile flight incidents. In late January, travel demand – both business travel and leisure – began to slow. In response, U.S. airlines started offering lower fares and maintained those lower thresholds much closer to departure dates, when historically airlines would raise fares for last-minute, on-demand business travel. This has led to more stable pricing in 2025, compared to previous years, which saw sizable year-over-year increases in fares.' Airlines were quick to assess their capacity. getty According to Kramer, as travel demand began to slow in early 2025 and has since stabilized, airlines were quick to assess their capacity (frequencies, aircraft type, markets, etc.) and trim to better align supply with demand. He adds, 'This, in part, has led to fare stabilization, and resulted in prices not being pushed even lower. Airlines, as is their nature, remain focused on trimming costs through capacity controls, employment levels and investments.' MORE FROM FORBES Forbes Explore Celestial Wonders Of The Night Sky At These Locations By Roger Sands Forbes Two Influential Women Hospitality Leaders Talk Shop By Roger Sands
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FCM Travel relaunches 'Sam' as a revolutionary intelligent virtual assistant
LONDON, June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- FCM Travel, a global leader in travel management across nearly 100 countries, is pleased to announce the relaunch of 'Sam', which now lives as an advanced intelligence that is set to power every digital experience at the world-renowned corporate travel giant. For customers, Sam will initially come to life as a cutting-edge virtual travel assistant, transforming the experience for travellers, travel bookers, and managers. Available across FCM's proprietary Platform, app, and browser extension, Sam delivers personalised, efficient, and seamless solutions, making travel smarter and more rewarding for customers globally. Evolved from FCM's award-winning technology, customers will experience Sam as a conversational AI assistant – one that anticipates user needs, providing real-time answers, along with uniquely tailored recommendations to streamline every aspect of travel. By learning from every single interaction, Sam ensures a consistent, high-quality experience across all touchpoints, empowering users with intuitive support whether booking trips, managing itineraries, or accessing travel insights. "Sam is a game-changer for our customers," said John Morhous, Global Chief Experience Officer, FCM Travel. "This isn't just about answering your questions – it's about creating a travel companion that understands your preferences, simplifies complex tasks, and enhances every journey. "In a sea of sameness, Sam delivers a true alternative by empowering all our travellers, bookers, and managers to focus on what matters most, while giving them the confidence that their travel needs are handled effortlessly. "We pride ourselves on listening to the wants and needs of our customers, and this helps us to guide our innovation drive, allowing us to automate the ordinary to deliver the extraordinary." Key Benefits of Sam: Real-time solutions: From checking airport security wait times to confirming visa requirements, Sam delivers instant, accurate answers to keep travellers on track Personalised, proactive support: Sam tailors recommendations based on user preferences, such as suggesting optimal flight classes or loyalty benefits for upcoming trips Seamless multi-platform access: Whether via mobile, desktop, or chat, Sam provides a consistent and intuitive experience across all channels Unplanned events: Sam will be a traveller's go-to companion during disruption as it offers a virtual helping hand when it comes to delays, cancellations, and emergencies – surfacing options, policies, and contacts without the traveller even having to ask Enhanced security and compliance: Sam ensures data privacy and compliance with robust, centralised processes, giving users peace of mind Adaptable behind-the-scenes 'playbooks' for travel managers: As a connected intelligence, interactions with Sam can be configured to meet customer needs, allowing travel managers to create a unique experience that drives program goals, setting Sam apart from anything currently available on the market. Beyond its customer-facing capabilities, Sam works behind the scenes to unify FCM 's internal systems, integrating data from multiple sources to create a centralised intelligence, enabling our internal teams to deliver ever-better service and value. "Unlike siloed AI systems, Sam's shared learning environment not only empowers our customers with a conversational assistant that anticipates their needs, but also enhances our internal operations," said Morhous. "By equipping our experts with enriched customer profiles and real-time insights, they can deliver our customers a faster, more impactful service. This is about making travel more rewarding and efficient for everyone involved." Sam in Action: Travellers: "How long is the security line at Heathrow airport right now?" or "Do I have any loyalty benefits for my upcoming trips?" Travel Bookers: "Do I have any travellers in Paris right now?" or "Connect me to an agent." Travel Managers: "Do any of our travellers have trips to Mumbai in the next few days?" or "What's the progress on my support ticket?" About FCM Travel FCM is one of the world's largest travel management companies and a trusted partner for thousands of national and multi-national organisations, including many household brands, Fortune, and FTSE 100 companies. With a 24/7 reach in more than 90 countries, FCM's agile and flexible technology anticipates and solves client needs, supported by expert teams who provide in-depth local knowledge and duty of care as part of the ultimate personalised business travel experience. As the flagship corporate travel arm of Flight Centre Travel Group, FCM is able to deliver some of the most competitive rates, unique added-value benefits, and exclusive solutions for its clients to support their business travel requirements. Alongside its travel management services, the company provides specialist services through FCM Consulting and FCM Meetings & Events to service the broader needs of clients. Discover the alternative at Please click here for more on Sam. Photo - - View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE FCM Travel Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time Out
10-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
These are the top U.S. cities for business travel—we're not surprised by number one
Business travel is booming, continuing its growth despite a good deal of uncertainty. Since March of this year, domestic travel in the U.S. is up 5-percent compared to last year, showing that companies continue to invest in sending employees around the country to make deals, establish partnerships and nurture opportunities face-to-face. And a new report from Corporate Traveler and FCM Travel —based on a comprehensive analysis of flight bookings—highlights the top destinations booked by U.S. business travelers, and some cities are heating up fast. New York leads the pack, as always—with its world-class transport, wide range of accommodations and access to various industries and international markets, the City That Never Sleeps is unsurprisingly a major hub for business travel. In the new ranking, NYC is followed by other major metropolises, including Chicago, Boston, Dallas and Las Vegas,. These urban powerhouses remain essential hubs for finance, tech, healthcare and events. But Vegas, in particular, is having a moment—business travel to the Entertainment Capital of the World is up 26-percent year-over-year, per the study, thanks to a surge in conferences and conventions. Just outside the top five, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Houston, Orlando and Atlanta round out the top ten. Orlando (seeing a 19-percent increase) and Nashville (up 17-percent) have seen the biggest jumps in growth, a sign that business travelers are expanding their reach and tapping into fresh markets. From boardrooms in midtown Manhattan to breakout sessions in Las Vegas, America's top cities are clearly buzzing with opportunity and business deals. Check out the full list of 20 top business travel destinations below: 1. New York, NY 2. Chicago, IL 3. Boston, MA 4. Dallas, TX 5. Las Vegas, NV 6. Washington, DC 7. Los Angeles, CA 8. Houston, TX 9. Orlando, FL 10. Atlanta, GA 11. Phoenix, AZ 12. Denver, CO 13. San Francisco, CA 14. San Diego, CA 15. Philadelphia, PA 16. Nashville, TN 17. Charlotte, NC 18. Seattle, WA 19. Detroit, MI 20. Minneapolis, MN
Scoop
05-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
FCM Travel Named Corporate Travel Agency Of The Year
FCM Travel, the flagship large market specialists have been recognised by the local travel sector by being crowned Corporate Travel Agency of the Year at the National Travel Industry Awards. Hosted by the Travel Agents Association of New Zealand (TAANZ), the award reflects FCM's contribution to the business travel industry in New Zealand. TAANZ represents over 90 per cent of travel agents and advisors in New Zealand and has been championing the interests of travel businesses since 1962. Their annual awards event is a celebration of excellence, with FCM's award coming hot off the heels of the brand celebrating its twentieth birthday. Having a presence in over 90 countries, FCM is now Flight Centre Travel Group's largest brand globally when it comes to Total Transaction Value (TTV). An impressive 31% of Flight Centre Travel Group's fiscal year 2024 TTV emanated from FCM Travel, compared to around 20% in FY19. Kelly Thomas, General Manager of FCM Travel NZ, expressed her pride in achieving this accolade: 'In New Zealand, despite global economic uncertainty, we have seen significant travel activity in sectors such as construction and banking, as well as supporting critical and essential government-related travel, ensuring New Zealand is connected both locally and with the rest of the world. 'Because of our geographical location, travelling for face-to-face meetings remains vital for maintaining partnerships, expanding into new markets, and nurturing long-standing client relationships. 'This means we stay relevant on the world stage, but most importantly, it continues to power New Zealand's local economy, securing jobs for Kiwis and ensuring innovation is happening, keeping us moving forward." Looking ahead, FCM Travel says it will continue to adapt and innovate within the business travel industry, empowering New Zealand businesses to thrive in an interconnected world.
Zawya
30-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Middle East business travel to grow 6.1% in 2025, adapting to global shifts
Experts gathered on day one of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025, held from 28 April to 1 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, to discuss the evolving trends in business travel spending, regional economic strategies, and the global economic conditions shaping the future of business travel in the Middle East. The session, titled 'State of the Nation: Navigating the Future of Business Travel in the Middle East,' held in partnership with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), provided valuable insights into the market dynamics influencing corporate travel budgets and decision-making. Changing dynamics of corporate travel Catherine Logan, regional senior vice president EMEA and APAC, Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), said: "In general, the argument for business travel in 2025 is strong, but transformational change will continue to influence how we travel for work around the world. These include economic stability, budget factors, how and where we work, implications of technology, the evolution of sustainability in business travel and the focus on the traveller." Logan also highlights that sustainably managed business travel is a force for good, driving progress for businesses, governments, economies and people. Middle East business travel performance According to the 2024 GBTA Business Travel Index Outlook Report, the Middle East accounts for 1.2% of global business travel spend and has performed better than any other region post-Covid, with spend reaching 19.4% higher than pre-Covid levels. The estimated business travel spending in the Middle East was $18.1bn in 2024 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.1% in 2025, highlighting the region's strategic importance in the global corporate travel and events ecosystem. Ciaran Kelly, managing director of Middle East & Africa, FCM Travel, said: "There is a positive outlook for business travel in the region, backed by trends we are seeing from our customers, surveys, and what our forecasts are for the year ahead. "A lot of the growth is due to the public and private projects taking place – it is almost impossible to get a seat on a plane from Dubai to Riyadh, for example, and once you land, hotel availability is limited. Hotel occupancy across the region is the highest globally, around the 70-80% mark, putting a lot of pressure on hotels, but in general, everything is positive." Reflecting on the significance of the session, Danielle Curtis, exhibition director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said: "Understanding the shifts in business travel spending is essential for companies that want to remain competitive and resilient in a fast-evolving market. "Sessions like this at IBTM@ATM are crucial for providing our attendees with actionable insights and real-world analysis, empowering them to navigate shifting travel patterns and discover new opportunities in the Middle East and beyond."
