New Research: Gen Z Business Travelers: Why Brands Are Missing the Mark

 

Gen Z is hitting the road and taking to the skies for work, taking business trips at rates approaching those of older cohorts and spending in a way that is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. But they don't behave like the business traveler the industry was built for. They're anxious in ways previous generations weren't, skeptical of the tools being handed to them, and unconvinced by the loyalty programs competing for their attention. Most importantly, they're forming the travel habits they'll carry for decades right now. This report is based on a Skift Research survey of approximately 1,000 Gen Z and millennials in the U.S. who traveled in the 12 months prior to December 2025, as well as surveys of approximately 1,400 global Gen Z and millennial travelers who recently took a business trip. It examines who Gen Z business travelers actually are, what they want from their experiences, and why the tools, programs, and policies designed for other generations won’t work for them. It highlights a growing gap in resonance and reveals what airlines, hotels, online travel agencies, travel management companies, and destinations should do differently right now to address it. Brands acting in this quickly-closing window will earn long-term loyalty; waiting will mean a much harder road ahead later.

What You'll Learn From This Report The Who: Gen Z Business Travelers The Why: How The Loyalty Window Is Closing The What: Gen Z Business Travels Need Control, Flexibility and Mentorship Tags: Skift Research survey Gen Z