Navan Finds Business Travel Demand and Expectations are Rising, But T and E Friction Persists

Navan State of Corporate Travel and Expense Report 2027 points out that business travel is growing strongly, but the systems that support it are still creating friction for travelers and managers.

Business travel remains essential
- 87% of travelers and 89% of travel/finance managers say business travel is essential or necessary.
- 58% of travelers expect to travel more in 2027.
- 71% expect to attend more in-person meetings and events.
- Nearly half (49%) took six or more business trips in the previous year, up from 40% two years earlier.

Travel experience still has pain points
- While 83% feel positive about business travel overall, only 73% feel positive about the logistics around booking, changes, expenses, and support.
- Travel disruptions are the biggest concern for 58% of travelers, but only 31% of managers recognize disruptions as a major traveler concern.
- 75% of travelers still occasionally book outside company-approved platforms.

Automation is improving, but manual work persists
- 45% of managers describe their expense process as highly or fully automated.
- The same proportion still performs some review, approval, or reconciliation manually.
- Nearly half of travelers spend at least one hour completing an expense report.
- 21% spend two hours or more.

AI adoption is increasing
- 58% of managers have AI-powered fraud detection.
- 54% can view unified travel and expense data in real time.
- However, 35% still export data to spreadsheets to identify savings opportunities.

Human support remains important
- During travel disruptions, 45% of travelers immediately call a person for help.
- Only 5% handle disruptions entirely through self-service tools.

Strong demand for unified platforms
- 79% of managers and 76% of travelers want a single, integrated travel-and-expense solution.
- Concerns about switching systems have declined since 2025, though cost remains a major barrier.

Key Takeaway
- The report describes a "travel and expense identity crisis." Companies are investing in AI and automation, but many employees still deal with disconnected booking, expense, and support systems. The biggest opportunity identified by Navan is combining travel and expense into a unified platform that uses AI to reduce manual work while keeping human support available when travelers need it most.