Travel Management Companies Are Starting to Tackle the Blended Travel Expense Issue


Skift Take

Blended travel is booming, but most expense systems haven't caught up. Until finance does so, even the smoothest trips could end in expense heavy lifting.

The growth of blended travel is undeniable, and accounting for which part was for business and which for leisure has been a pain point for both employers and employees. “One of the main frustrations with bleisure travel has always been keeping business and personal expenses clearly separated,” said Yuval Refua, Navan’s chief product officer, payments & expense.“Traditionally, employees might have to pay out-of-pocket or with a company credit card and later submit reimbursement requests, leaving finance and accounting teams to untangle what’s work and what’s leisure after the fact.” In a November 2024 GBTA U.S. poll, 46% of travel buyers reported an increase in blended trips compared to the previous year. Only 9% reported a decrease. On average, travelers stayed 4.4 days per trip, and 79% remained at the same accommodation throughout their work and leisure po