Business travel can be complex and expensive if not managed efficiently. It places a significant financial burden on companies. While it is doable to manage business travel by yourself when the company is small, many problems can arise when scaling. This hurdle prompts businesses to outsource these needs to travel management partners.
The primary objective of the top 10 travel management companies in USA is to help organizations optimize their corporate travel. They ensure travel arrangements are efficient, cost-effective, and aligned with company goals. TMCs often provide travel management software to facilitate these processes.
Partnering with a TMC can significantly reduce the stress and financial strain of travel management. When selecting a travel management platform, it is crucial to consider factors that differentiate it. These can include the level of personalized service, travel support, and ability to offer detailed reporting.
This guide will help you select the right TMC for your business travel needs and budget.
Importance of Corporate Travel Management Companies
Travel Management Companies (TMCs) are crucial for businesses as they streamline travel logistics, ensuring efficiency and cost savings. They provide expert solutions for managing travel expenses, safety, and compliance with corporate policies.
Here are a few reasons why you must partner with TMCs.
Cost-Effective Solutions
TMCs leverage their industry connections and expertise to negotiate better rates and discounts for flights, hotels, and transportation, resulting in significant cost savings for businesses without compromising on quality.
Handling Complexities of Travel Planning
TMCs manage the intricate details of travel logistics, from booking flights and accommodations to arranging ground transportation, ensuring seamless and hassle-free travel experiences for corporate travelers.
Ensuring Employee Safety and Well-being
The top 10 travel management companies in USA prioritize traveler safety. They provide real-time updates, travel risk assessments, and emergency assistance, ensuring that employees are well-informed and supported throughout their journeys.
Enhancing Efficiency
By streamlining the booking process and automating administrative tasks, TMCs help businesses save time, allowing employees to focus on core activities rather than travel arrangements.
24/7 Travel Support and Assistance
TMCs offer round-the-clock support to address any travel-related issues or emergencies, providing peace of mind to travelers and ensuring uninterrupted business operations.
Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics
TMCs provide detailed reports and data analytics on travel expenditures and patterns, helping businesses make informed decisions and identify opportunities for cost optimization and policy improvements.
Managing Travel Expenses
TMCs help monitor and control travel expenses through centralized billing, expense tracking, and policy enforcement, ensuring that travel budgets are adhered to and expenditures are transparent.
Travel Risk Management
TMCs assess potential travel risks and provide strategies to mitigate them, including traveler tracking and crisis management plans, to ensure the safety and security of employees on the move.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Corporate Travel Management Companies
While selecting the TMC, keep in mind that the TMC should fulfill all your business’s requirements. Key factors to consider are:
Excellent Travel Support
- Check for reviews and testimonials about their travel support.
- Verify the availability of dedicated account managers.
- Evaluate the channels of communication (phone, email, chat).
Cost-Effectiveness
- Compare their pricing structures and fee transparency.
- Ask about negotiated rates and discounts with airlines and hotels.
- Examine their cost-saving strategies and expense management tools.
Travel Policy Compliance and Customization
- Ensure they can customize travel policies to meet your specific needs.
- Verify their tools for monitoring and enforcing policy compliance.
- Ask about their experience with similar businesses or industries.
Comprehensive Reporting and Analytics
- Request samples of their reporting and analytics capabilities.
- Check for customizable reporting options tailored to your needs.
- Assess the frequency and depth of the reports they provide.
- Evaluate their data security and privacy measures.
Technology and Innovation
- Evaluate their travel management software and mobile apps.
- Check for user-friendly interfaces and functionalities.
- Assess their ability to integrate with your existing systems.
Safety and Risk Management
- Verify their traveler tracking and risk assessment tools.
- Check for real-time updates and alert capabilities.
Flexibility and Scalability
- Ensure they can scale services up or down based on your needs.
- Check for flexibility in contract terms and conditions.
- Evaluate their ability to adapt to policy or travel requirement changes.
- Ask about their experience managing growth or downsizing for clients.
Supplier Relationships
- Review their partnerships with airlines, hotels, and other suppliers.
- Ask about the benefits and discounts they can offer.
- Verify their ability to secure preferred seating, room upgrades, etc.
- Check for any exclusive deals or added-value services.
List of Top 10 Travel Management Companies in USA
Here are some of the largest business travel providers in the USA :
- ITILITE
- Travelperk
- Navan
- SAP Concur
- Egencia
- Amex
- CWT
- TravelBank
- BCD Travel
- CTM
The USA is home to a plethora of TMCs that excel at planning smooth trips for corporate travel companies. From ensuring cost efficiency to prioritizing traveler satisfaction, these top 10 travel management companies in USA stand out as industry leaders in delivering the best corporate travel solutions.
1. itilite
itilite is one of the pioneering top 10 corporate travel management companies with a global reach and focus on efficient travel. By using seamless automation, the itilite travel management software simplifies business travel booking, policy compliance, and reporting.
itilite allows your travelers to book flights, hotels, and car rentals from a wide inventory. The platform’s advanced features, such as flight re-shopping and unused flight credit management, pave the way for significant cost savings. These capabilities trim up to 30% of overall travel expenditures.
Further, itilite ensures 100% policy compliance and provide real-time travel insights. This data allows you to take complete control over your travel management processes.
Moreover, it’s unwavering commitment to customer service assures 24/7/365 travel support on call, chat, and email. What sets itilite apart is the remarkable response time, an industry benchmark of an impressive 10 seconds. This ensures that your travelers receive swift assistance every step of the way, enhancing their overall travel experience.
itilite charges a nominal amount of $10 for each trip you take, with no hidden fee. Additionally, the pricing structure allows wallet based payment. If you use the e-wallet for payments, you can get an even better deal at $7 per trip. The best part is that itilite does not charge any monthly fee, which means you only have to pay when you take a trip.
Feature Highlights:
- All-in-one booking solution
- Granular policy configuration
- 7-star rated free travel support
- Third-party integration
- Advanced travel data reporting
- Flight re-shopping
- Live traveler tracking
- Virtual Travel Consultant
- Carbon offsetting
2. TravelPerk
TravelPerk is one of the most well-known travel management companies in USA that offers a range of valuable features and benefits tailored to businesses’ travel needs.
Some Features of TravelPerk Include:
- Travel Booking: option to book flights, hotels, cars, and trains from one platform.
- Travel Policy Configuration: set policy rules, including budget limits for the trip.
- Flexible Cancellations: up to 80% of the cost back for canceled bookings up to 2 hours before travel.
- Sustainable Travel Initiatives: access a dedicated team committed to aiding you in mitigating your travel-associated carbon impact through carbon offsetting strategies.
Pricing: However, these benefits are accompanied by a notable cost. TravelPerk has 4 pricing plans to choose from. The basic plan costs 5% of the booking cost per trip (up to $30), and the highest-priced plan costs a monthly fee of $299 + 3% per booking.
Further, some important features, such as customized travel reports and negotiated corporate rates, are only available in premium plans.
Reasons Why TravelPerk Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite offers negotiated rates and automatic flight rebooking without additional charges. TravelPerk’s similar benefits are in the highest-priced plan.
- itilite provides up to 2.5% cashback on bookings, unlike TravelPerk.
- itilite offers free customizable travel reports. However, TravelPerk’s custom reports require the highest-priced plan.
3. Navan
Founded in 2015, Navan is headquartered in Palo Alto. It places user needs at the forefront, emphasizing a technology-centric strategy to make bookings and control business travel. Navan seamlessly integrates AI and an intuitive interface to provide a versatile business tool that streamlines travel management.
Some Features of Navan Include:
- Travel Management: helps corporate travel companies manage travel seamlessly with global inventory, booking, and itinerary management.
- Virtual and Physical Corporate Cards: offers corporate travel cards with pre-coded controls like spending limits.
- Third-party Software Integration: offers integration for data synchronization with tools you already use.
- Travel Support: offers 24/7 automated support via call, chat, and email.
Pricing: To inquire about the pricing details of the Travel Only plan, reaching out to Navan’s team is the recommended approach.
Reasons Why Navan Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite charges $10 per trip with no annual subscription fees or hidden costs. Navan charges around $25 per trip with an annual fee of over $5000 and potential hidden fees.
- itilite provides a dedicated account manager at no additional cost. Navan, however, charges extra and offers this service based on spending.
- itilite offers up to 1.5% cash back on travel spending, whereas Navan provides up to 1% cashback
4. SAP Concur
SAP Concur (formerly Concur Technologies) is one of oldest travel management companies in USA. It simplifies travel bookings, policy enforcement, and risk management.
Major Features of SAP Concur Include:
- Online Booking Tool: Concur enables travelers to book flights, hotels, and rental cars.
- Policy Compliance: the software enables businesses to define and enforce travel policies by setting rules and restrictions for bookings.
- Single Dashboard: managers can view and manage travel information through a consolidated dashboard.
- Connected Apps: integrated apps such as Uber for a seamless travel experience.
- Traveler Tracking: managers can track the location of travelers to meet their duty of care and keep employees safe.
While Concur proves effective for making bookings, some people find its platform’s complexity and outdated UI not entirely in line with modern user expectations. Additionally, there’s a hefty price tag associated with Concur’s travel support services, particularly outside regular working hours.
The pricing structure varies depending on whether the bookings are made online or with assistance. Bookings facilitated by support services are priced within the range of $25 to $40. For a detailed breakdown, you need to contact Concur’s team.
Reasons Why SAP Concur Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite offers a user-friendly interface and easy account setup, while SAP Concur is often seen as complex and less intuitive.
- itilite provides free, round-the-clock support with the industry-best response and resolution time. However, SAP Concur charges extra for travel support outside business hours.
- itilite offers customizable reports and a dynamic Analytics Dashboard for free. SAP Concur charges extra for reports and analytics, with limited customization options.
5. Egencia
Founded in 2002 as a subsidiary of Expedia Group, Egencia stands out as a well-known travel management firm. It provides all-encompassing solutions for both corporate and individual travel needs. It was recently acquired by AMEX GBT.
Key Features of Egencia are:
- Wide Travel Inventory: access to 290 airlines and 650,000 lodging partners.
- First in Industry NDC capabilities: the first platform to offer new distribution capabilities to clients.
- Travel Analytics: managers can track KPIs to optimize travel program.
- Profile Management: travelers can create their profiles via self-registration links and seamlessly synchronize these profiles across various devices.
Egencia provides customized pricing for corporate travel companies. Therefore, you need to contact Egencia’s team to get a quote.
Reasons Why Egencia Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite offers a flat booking fee of $10 compared to Egencia’s $25-$40 for support team bookings.
- The itilite app seamlessly manages travel and expenses. Egencia relies on third-party integrations for operations.
- itilite provides a flexible approval process with rule-based and parallel approvals. Egencia’s one-click approval configuration offers limited customization.
6. American Express Global Business Travel
American Express Global Business Travel is an international companies specializing in travel and meetings program management. Primarily catering to larger enterprises, AMEX GBT acquired Egencia to enhance its offerings for SMEs. It’s recommended that you consider this aspect when evaluating choices for your business travel management program.
Key Features of AMEX GBT Include:
- Mobile Booking Platform: an intuitive platform to make flight and hotel bookings on the go.
- Itinerary Building: create itineraries using profile preferences and booking history.
- Negotiated Rates: get pre-negotiated rates within the platform and access to 2 million lodgings.
- Re-shopping Tools: access lower prices for hotels and flights, if available, after you have already booked the tickets.
For a pricing quote, contact AMEX GBT’s team.
Reasons Why Amex GBT Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite excels in providing tailored travel solutions specifically for SMBs. Each client at itilite receives a dedicated account manager. We ensure personalized and attentive service that addresses their unique travel needs and preferences. In contrast, a large agency that handles millions of clients worldwide may have offered a less personal experience.
- itilite boasts an industry-leading response time of just 10 seconds. This is significantly faster than many larger agencies.
7. CWT
CWT stands as a Business-to-Business-for-Employees (B2B4E) travel management platform that spans over 150 countries. With a longstanding history of serving businesses of various sizes, CWT excels in managing corporate travel and meetings. It offers flight and hotel reservations through its website and mobile app.
The Main Features of CWT Include:
- RoomIt: presents an option for economical travel.
- Consultant support: available to guarantee optimal travel arrangements for business trip.
- AnalytIQs: provides analytical and visualization tools, offering actionable insights for monitoring travel expenditures.
- myCWT: a mobile application that grants constant access to itineraries, bookings, and profiles.
CWT offers a subscription-based pricing model depending on the scope of services. To get a quote, contact CWT’s team.
Reasons Why CTW Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite offers an industry-best response time of just 10 seconds, available 24/7 and 365 days a year through live agents. This ensures that clients receive immediate support and assistance whenever they need it
- itilite actively negotiates on behalf of companies to secure the best travel deals and rates.
- itilite provides an easy-to-use booking tool, making the process of arranging travel straightforward and efficient.
8. TravelBank
TravelBank is one of the travel management companies that developed a mobile application first as they realized that the majority of their users are business travelers who are often on the go.
Key Features of TravelBank are:
- Rewards Program: employees are incentivized to make cost-efficient booking choices.
- Unused Flight Credit Management: view and manage flight credits via the web app.
- Group Travel Management: get group deals and negotiate hotel blocks.
- Omni-Channel Travel Support: traveler support via Slack apart from phone, chat, and email.
Pricing: $25 user/month with unlimited travel bookings and management
Reasons Why TravelBank Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite provides superior in-house support. They ensure that clients receive expert assistance directly from the company’s dedicated team.
- itilite offers a larger inventory of travel options, which translates to better rates
- itilite excels in managing unused flight tickets. The team helps clients optimize their travel budgets by efficiently handling and rebooking unused tickets.
9. BCD Travel
BCD Travel holds a significant presence in the realm of corporate travel management. With a widespread network spanning 109 countries, it extends its travel management expertise to corporate travel companies worldwide.
Operating as a conventional travel management entity, BCD Travel caters to a diverse clientele by providing travel solutions through both agent-assisted services and online booking tools, depending on the client’s scale and needs.
Key Features of BCD Travel include:
- Real-time alerts: the mobile app provides risk alerts and ensures your travelers are safe.
- Travel Reporting: DecisionSource, BCD Travel’s intelligence platform, provides you with travel data 90 minutes post booking.
- TripSource: a mobile app that allows users to access travel details, add meetings, sync itineraries, and share trip changes with friends and family. It is a travel management tool to gain complete control over your travel program.
Pricing: Booking through an agent costs $34 per transaction, while online booking costs $9.75 per transaction. Further, the rate for group travel bookings is $44 per traveler.
Reasons Why BCD Travel Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite offers an innovative incentive program designed to encourage cost-saving practices among travelers.
- itilite provides 100% transparency regarding fees, ensuring that clients only pay for travel when they actually travel.
- Itilite has an exceptionally user-friendly self-service booking platform. It allows clients to easily manage and book their own travel
10. CTM
CTM, or Corporate Travel Management Pty Ltd, brings nearly three decades of expertise in travel programs. They excel in handling corporate events, travel reporting, and managing online bookings.
Key Features of CTM include:
- Pre-trip Approvals: enables risk management before bookings.
- SMS notifications: to travelers who might face potential risks.
- Traveler Well-being Data: to identify any health or well-being issues.
To request pricing info, you’ll have to get in touch with CTM.
Reasons Why CTM Customers Have Moved to itilite in the Past Year
- itilite offers an industry best response time of 10 seconds
- itilite has an industry-leading travel inventory
- Customers can modify their itinerary through app at any time.
Choose the Best Travel Management Partners in the USA
We hope that this guide about the top 10 travel management companies in USA will be a valuable resource that offers you deeper insights into selecting the most suitable travel partner or business travel provider for your business needs.
Each of these business travel providers has a distinct approach and expertise. You must choose the one that resonates most with your business vision.
We invite you to discover how itilite could become a valuable partner in reshaping your corporate travel management. By leveraging our advanced technology and commitment to customer satisfaction, you can set off on a journey of smooth, budget-friendly, and stress-free business travel.
Book a free demo with us to experience these benefits yourself!
FAQ’s
itilite stands out as one of the top 10 travel management companies in the USA., recognized for its comprehensive solutions in business travel.
Travel management software plays a crucial role in organizing and optimizing travel arrangements and expenses, thus saving valuable time and costs.
The top business travel providers include itilite, Navan, Egencia, SAP Concur, and TravelPerk, each offering specialized services to meet corporate travel needs effectively.