Business Travel Costs 2027: Airfare, Hotel & Per Diem Data

Business travel costs in 2027 are expected to keep rising, but much more slowly than in 2026. The GBTA forecasts economy airfares up just 1.1% and global hotel rates up 1.8% in 2027, Amex GBT expects most North American cities to see hotel increases of 3% or less, and the federal standard per diem rose to $181 a day on October 1, 2026.

This guide pulls together the latest airfare, hotel, ground transport, meetings, and per diem forecasts in one place, then explains what they mean for your 2027 event and retreat budgets. For the full breakdown of retreat costs, see our corporate retreat cost guide. [HOLD — swap this link to /blog/event-budget-template until retreat-cost is corrected]

Key Takeaways

2027 brings relief, not a reset: travel prices will grow more slowly but won’t return to 2025 levels.

• Airfare growth slows sharply in 2027 after a steep 2026, but fares are starting from a much higher base.
• Hotel rates in most US cities are forecast to rise 3% or less, with San Francisco a notable exception.
• Food and beverage and production are now the main drivers of meeting cost inflation.
• The GSA standard per diem is $113 for lodging and $68 for meals — useful for individual travel policy, but not a group-event budget.

Business Travel Costs 2027 at a Glance

Here are the headline 2027 numbers from the three most-cited sources:

• Airfare: economy fares up 1.1% and overall fares up 1.5% in 2027, after economy fares rose 8.7% to $536 in 2026 (GBTA).
• Hotels: global average daily rate up 1.8% to $171 in 2027 (GBTA); most North American cities up 3% or less (Amex GBT).
• Ground transport: car rental down 0.9% to $46.10 per day in 2027 (GBTA).
• Meetings and events: cost per attendee per day up 1.5% to $267 in 2027 (GBTA).
• Per diem: $113 lodging plus $68 meals and incidentals, or $181 a day, for federal travel from October 1, 2026 (GSA).

Airfare Forecast for 2027

Airfare remains the most volatile part of business travel costs. According to the GBTA 2027 Global Business Travel Forecast, produced with ALTOUR, the average global airfare is expected to reach $756 in 2026, up 4.7% from 2025. Economy fares are projected to rise 8.7% to $536, and premium fares 9.5% to $4,488.

Growth slows sharply in 2027: GBTA forecasts overall fares up 1.5%, economy fares up 1.1%, and premium fares up 2.2%. North America is among the regions with the strongest 2026 increases, driven by tight capacity, higher operating costs, and aircraft delivery delays.

Amex GBT’s consulting team reports a similar picture from booking data: airfares were up 15% year over year in mid-2026, with some Asia routes rising as much as twice that, according to Hotel Business.

What it means: smaller increases in 2027 don’t make flights cheap again. Budget from your 2026 actuals, not your 2025 numbers.

Hotel Rates 2027

Hotel rates in 2027 are expected to rise modestly in most markets. GBTA forecasts global average daily rates up 3.7% to $168 in 2026, then up 1.8% to $171 in 2027, with a record hotel construction pipeline helping hold rates down. North American hotel rates are expected to rise 3.2% in 2026.

The Amex GBT Hotel Monitor 2027 gives city-level forecasts as ranges for the first time, because of uncertainty from the Middle East conflict and commodity prices. Amex GBT advises using the lower end if the conflict continues or global inflation stays near the IMF’s 4.7% forecast, and the upper end if inflation runs higher. Selected 2027 ranges (local currency):

• United States: most cities up 3% or less; New York 1.6%–2.5%; San Francisco 3.6%–5.4%; Seattle flat to 0.8%.
• Canada and Mexico: Toronto 0.5%–1.9%; Mexico City 4.7%–7.1%.
• Europe: London 3.6%–5.4%; Paris 3.1%–4.8%; Madrid 6.1%–9.2%.
• Latin America and Middle East: São Paulo 10.9%–12.2%; Dubai 1%–2%.

What it means: most US retreat markets give you room to negotiate in 2027. If you’re considering San Francisco, Mexico City, or a European city, plan for the upper end of the range.

Ground Transportation Costs 2027

Ground transport is the one category expected to get cheaper. GBTA forecasts car rental rates up 3.6% to $46.50 per day in 2026, then down 0.9% to $46.10 in 2027, as fleet supply stabilizes. For groups, charter buses and airport shuttles are priced separately, but the stable car market is a good sign for transfer costs.

Meetings and Events Costs 2027

Meetings and events budgets are expected to keep rising through 2027. GBTA forecasts cost per attendee per day up about 3.0% to $263 in 2026 and up 1.5% to $267 in 2027. Negotiated group hotel rates are holding relatively steady, so food and beverage, production, and labor are doing most of the pushing.

That daily figure is a meetings-cost benchmark, not an all-in retreat budget. Once you add airfare, hotel nights, ground transfers, activities, and planning, full corporate retreats typically run $2,000–$4,000+ per person including travel.

2027 Per Diem Rates (GSA FY2027)

The federal per diem for fiscal year 2027 took effect on October 1, 2026, and runs through September 30, 2027. According to the GSA, the standard rate for the continental US is $113 per night for lodging, up from $110, and $68 per day for meals and incidental expenses, unchanged. That’s $181 a day combined.

Meal and incidental rates range from $68 to $92 depending on location, and 295 non-standard areas have higher lodging caps. Many private companies use GSA rates as a benchmark for their own travel policies.

What it means: per diem works for individual travel reimbursement. It isn’t built for group events — group hotel rates in popular retreat destinations often run well above the standard lodging cap, so budget events from venue quotes, not per diem.

What 2027 Travel Costs Mean for Your Corporate Travel Budget

Here is Offsite’s take on turning these forecasts into a 2027 corporate travel budget for events and retreats:

• Plan for relief, not a reset. GBTA expects prices to stay above 2025 levels because of structural pressures like aircraft delays and labor costs. Start from 2026 actuals and add a modest increase.
• Treat airfare as your biggest swing factor. Book group air early and favor destinations your team can reach nonstop. Our guide to group travel for corporate retreats covers how to coordinate it.
• Use the soft hotel market. With most US cities forecast at 3% or less, you have leverage on room blocks. Learn how to negotiate group hotel rates.
• Watch food, beverage, and production. These are now the main drivers of event cost inflation, so negotiate F&B minimums and AV fees as hard as room rates. For a production-heavy event, see our sales kickoff cost breakdown.
• Budget two scenarios. Use the low and high ends of the Amex GBT ranges to build a base case and a stretch case, and keep a 10% contingency.

How to Build a 2027 Event Travel Budget

Start with your 2026 actuals for each event, by category.

• Apply category-specific increases: small for hotels and ground transport, larger for airfare and food and beverage.
• Adjust for destination using city-level hotel forecasts.
• Add a 10% contingency for fuel, currency, and geopolitical swings.

Check the per-person total against the $2,000–$4,000+ range for full retreats including travel. Our event budget templates and free budget spreadsheet make this faster.

For how last year’s World Cup summer affected travel budgets, see our look at business travel trends in 2026.

Plan Your 2027 Retreat with Offsite

Offsite manages venues, travel, and logistics for corporate retreats at a flat per-person rate with no hidden costs. With 1,000+ curated venues worldwide, teams typically save up to 50% on venue costs — a real advantage in a year when travel prices are still elevated.

Start planning your 2027 corporate retreat with Offsite →

Summary

Business travel costs in 2027 are expected to rise more slowly than in 2026, but from a higher starting point. GBTA forecasts economy airfares up 1.1% and global hotel rates up 1.8%, Amex GBT expects most North American cities to rise 3% or less, car rentals dip slightly, and meeting costs climb 1.5% per attendee per day. The GSA standard per diem is $181 a day. Budget from 2026 actuals, plan for airfare and F&B pressure, and use the soft US hotel market to negotiate.