More than 80% of corporate travelers have to optimize their travel expenses after seeing their per diems reduced
According to the annual SAP Concur Global Business Travel Survey 2025, half (54%) of Spanish corporate travelers expect travel budgets to stagnate or even decrease in 2025. In addition, 93% have noticed a cut in their per diems over the past year. As a result, 84% of survey participants have started to take steps to optimize their travel allowances.
Business travel remains key to strengthening professional relationships and driving business growth. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and budget tightening, business travelers are changing their spending patterns while on the road. But beyond the numbers, the research also reveals how business travelers adopt different behaviors when traveling for work versus leisure:
Adjustments to their travel budget
Within a scenario of growing financial awareness, 84% of Spanish business travelers
have begun taking steps to optimize their travel allowances. From choosing more economical meals (41%) so as not to exceed the limit of their daily diets, to preparing their own food (30%) instead of eating at a restaurant.
SAP Concur's research also reveals that there is no single business traveler profile, but rather different groups marked by their generation. Globally, Generation Z leads the trend of carefully planning their spending to get the most out of their travel allowance (92%), followed by millennials (87%), Generation X (73%) and baby boomers (64%).
Investing money out of pocket to improve the experience
In the face of budget cuts, many employees are willing to cover certain costs out of pocket to improve their travel experience, as reflected by 87% of Spanish respondents. And while they try to get the most out of their travel policy, 32% would pay for the benefits of higher-quality accommodations, 33% for an extra night and 28% for better seating. They also opt to pay for more sustainable travel options (26%), more expensive routes that avoid layovers (34%), or flying with their favorite airline and/or staying at their preferred hotel (27%).
By age, 93% of Generation Z global travelers would be willing to invest their own money to upgrade their travel, compared with 88% of millennials, 74% of Generation X and 62% of baby boomers.
When the trip is paid for by the company
The survey also reveals that 82% of Spanish corporate travelers modify their spending habits depending on whether it is a business or personal trip. In fact, on a business trip, 38% of travelers stay in higher category hotels, or choose more luxurious rooms, and nearly a third (29%) opt for direct flights, even if these involve a higher cost.
Spanish employees are also more likely to use private transportation (24%) and choose better quality restaurants (25%) than when traveling for personal reasons.
Overall, the generations most likely to adapt their spending behavior are Generation Z (94%) and millennials (89%), followed by Generation X (72%) and, to a lesser extent, baby boomers (56%).
In the words of João Carvalho, Head of SAP Concur for Southern Europe, Middle East and Africa, «cuts in travel budgets are having a direct impact on the traveler experience. For companies, it is critical to communicate what their travel policy covers and what is left out, and integrated travel and expense management solutions enable them to define clear policies and establish booking categories that guide employee behavior. In addition, offering customized suggestions of more economical or sustainable suppliers with pre-negotiated conditions helps to ensure convenience without incurring excessive costs.