TravelPerk’s second annual Travel Disruption Report shows nearly 8 in 10 business travelers globally experienced travel disruptions in 2024, with 43 percent facing significant delays of more than one hour.
The findings show that 78 percent of business travelers were impacted during 2024 and while overall disruption rates remain similar to 2023, the causes vary significantly by region, with cancellations and strikes particularly affecting European markets.
The insights are based on global research—commissioned by the business travel management platform TravelPerk—in the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Spain, surveying 4,000 business travelers, as well as third-party global aviation data. The 2024 study reveals that more than one in four (27 percent) business travelers faced cancellations this year when traveling for work, while over a fifth (21 percent) experienced disruptions due to weather events and transport strikes.
Reasons for Disruptions Vary by Region
Regional data shows striking disparities in how different markets are affected. British and German business travelers faced the highest impact from transport strikes (27 percent and 29 percent respectively) compared to just 9 percent in the US.
Meanwhile, US travelers experienced the most cancellations during the period analyzed (139,777 flights were canceled from March to September 2024), and the highest rate of weather-related disruptions at 30 percent, significantly above the global average of 21 percent.
And it is not just weather and strikes that are impacting travel. Shockwaves were sent through the global travel industry this July due to the IT outage caused by Crowdstrike software. In July, just 57 percent of flights operated with no delays.
While the US has the highest volume of cancellations, analysis of third-party flight data reveals that China now leads in terms of cancellation rates at nearly 5 percent, followed by Canada and the US (both 3 percent). This represents a shift from 2023, when Indonesia topped the list at 13 percent.
Via a media release, Tomasz Wrzaszcz, Travel Intelligence Specialist at TravelPerk said: “Though each region faces unique challenges, the end result for business travelers is the same: more time spent in airports, train stations or bus depots, and fewer hours of both productive working or time at home. For the TravelPerk disruptions team, it is essential to try and predict these events ahead of time, and proactively notify travelers and try to offer them multiple solutions to consider. Our priority is to help travelers to feel in control when the uncontrollable happens.”
In partnership with market research agency OnePoll, TravelPerk surveyed 1,000 business travelers in each of the following: the United Kingdom, United States, Germany and Spain (4,000 in total). The surveys were conducted from Sept. 13 to 16, 2024.
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