Navan reported a 13.5 percent year-over-year increase in business travel volume during the first half of 2026, based on the travel management company's Business Travel Benchmark index.
The index, which was introduced in 2023, is based on analysis of spending and volumes for air, hotel and expenses across global markets through Navan's platforms during the first six months of 2026. It reached its highest-ever level of 189.1 points for H1 2026, despite the uncertainty caused by the Iran war as global travel budgets continue to "remain strong." The index is measured on a baseline of 100 set in January 2023.
Navan said that spending on domestic business trips rose by 21.5 percent year-on-year with volume up by 8.8 percent. While domestic hotel bookings rose by 11.1 percent and international volumes were up by 9.8 percent.
Airfares increased across all cabins, according to Navan, including a 9.1 percent year-on-year hike in international average ticket prices and a 14.4 percent increase for domestic fares.
Navan also noted that business travelers had "increasingly turned" to premium cabin classes, despite the rise in airfares. Volumes for business and first-class bookings rose by 19.3 percent on international routes.
The index also revealed that ground transport volumes had "outpaced" other segments of corporate travel, with taxis and rideshare bookings up by 23.7 percent year-on-year, while there was a 19.8 percent surge in public transport and parking transactions.
Navan's index revealed that professional services had seen the largest annual growth rate in average air and hotel spend (up by 44.6 percent year overyear). There were also increases of more than 20 percent in the government and public sector, transport and logistics, energy and utilities, and by non-profit organizations.
The TMC also found that corporate travel's growth in the first six months of 2026 had been in stark contrast to the performance of the US leisure travel sector, which only grew by 0.5 percent over the same period, as measured by the TSA Passenger Index, which tracks travelers going through US airports.
Aurélien Nolf, chief financial officer at Navan, in a statement said: "Even as broader travel plateaued, businesses kept investing in face-to-face interactions because of its essential role in driving growth, serving customers and building teams."
Navan said in its report that the index is a composite based on millions of corporate transactions from more than 12,500 clients, which are captured through the TMC's travel and expense platform. It uses data from a "stable customer cohort" who are defined as being active on the platform for at least 24 months rather than reflecting an increased client base.