How can you avoid manually entering loyalty numbers for every booking?

Most platforms store loyalty numbers in your profile wallet. Otto stores them once during setup. Add them during onboarding and never re-enter them. The platform attaches them automatically when you book. Platforms like TravelPerk and Navan also include profile wallet features for major loyalty programs (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG Rewards).

Do small businesses pay more per booking than large companies?

Companies booking 100+ trips can negotiate reduced transaction fees, while small companies can't negotiate better rates. Small businesses with tighter budgets often pay premium rates due to insufficient volume. Commission-based models charging only on completed bookings remove this disadvantage by eliminating volume requirements entirely.

What implementation challenges should a 25-person company expect?

Most vendors don't publish specific timelines. Platforms with "A" ease-of-setup ratings like Navan typically deploy faster than those with "C" grades like SAP Concur. Budget 2-3 times vendor estimates for realistic timelines and plan 2-4 hours training per employee. Test free tiers before committing.

Can employees keep their personal airline miles and hotel points?

Most platforms support adding loyalty program numbers that automatically populate in bookings, such as centralized loyalty program management and support for major programs like Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG Rewards. Small businesses must explicitly ask vendors about personal point retention policies during evaluation.

How do travel platforms handle flight cancellations at 10 PM when you have a 9 AM client meeting?

Preference-learning platforms continuously monitor your flight status. When cancelled, you receive filtered rebooking options matching your preferences. Manual-search platforms send notifications but require you to compare options yourself. Test support responsiveness during trial periods.

What does trip planning actually cost per year?

It depends on booking volume and service model. TMCs charge per transaction, subscription platforms charge per user, and some providers like Otto charge nothing for the booking service.

Why does my TMC charge three fees for one business trip?

Per-transaction pricing charges separately for each booking component. Your flight, hotel, and rental car count as three transactions. Calculate total annual cost based on actual booking patterns before comparing to subscription or free alternatives.

How can I book business travel without paying platform fees?

Free tools like Otto eliminate subscription and transaction fees. You pay only for actual flights and hotels, not the booking service itself.

How do I negotiate better rates with TMCs?

Request formal RFPs from 3-4 providers and use competing quotes for leverage. Multi-year commitments and bundling add-on features upfront unlock the deepest discounts.

What hidden costs do subscription fees not include?

Watch for implementation fees, change and cancellation charges, after-hours support fees, and credit card processing markups. Demand itemized fee schedules covering all scenarios before committing.

Trip Planner Cost: What You'll Really Pay in 2026

Credit union business accounts offer fee savings but limited tech. Compare costs, features, and trade-offs to find the right banking fit for your business.

You're about to book your next business trip, and you have no idea what it should actually cost. Traditional agents quote one price, corporate platforms charge per user, and some tools claim to be free. Which one saves money at your travel volume?

The answer depends on your company size and booking frequency. This guide breaks down four pricing models, reveals what providers actually charge, and shows you how to negotiate using 2025 market conditions.

What Traditional Travel Agents and TMCs Charge

Traditional agents and TMCs represent the legacy approach to business travel booking. Here's what each charges.

Traditional travel agents operate on supplier commissions (10-15% from airlines and hotels) plus direct client fees ranging from $50 per air segment to $150-$1,050 per complex itinerary.

Travel Management Companies charge per transaction, one fee for your flight, another for your hotel, a third for your rental car. NDC surcharges can cost around $60 per air transaction, hitting every time you rebook after a delay.

Major providers like American Express GBT, BCD Travel, and CWT require custom quotes through formal RFPs. The largest TMCs control significant market share, making volume-based negotiation essential.

Volume Matters for Pricing

TMCs discount rates for companies booking 100+ trips annually. Companies achieve 33-47% discounts through negotiation, with additional 8-12% savings by bundling add-ons upfront. Multi-year commitments unlock deeper discounts as nearly half of TMCs expect decreased 2025 revenue.

Corporate Booking Platform Costs

Subscription-based platforms represent a different cost structure than traditional TMCs. Your company size determines annual spend.

Company Size	Expected Annual Cost
50 employees	$6,000 – $9,000
100 employees	$12,000 – $18,000
300 employees	$35,000 – $140,000

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Negotiated rates typically fall around $120 per user annually, while enterprise platforms like SAP Concur and Egencia range from $96-$180 per user annually. Enterprise deployments often list at higher rates but negotiate down by 30-35%.

Hidden Implementation Fees

Implementation fees typically represent 10-30% of Year 1 subscription costs, adding thousands in hidden costs you won't see until contract negotiation.

The Real Cost of Booking Your Own Flight

The time you spend booking represents real money, even if it never shows up on an invoice. Booking a business trip takes 1-2 hours when comparing flights, entering preferences, and managing itineraries. Managing travel expenses adds more time to every trip.

Calculate those hours at loaded salary rates:

Mid-level professionals at $80/hour cost $80-$160 per trip
Senior managers at $126/hour cost $126-$252 per trip
Executives at $150/hour represent $150-$300 every time they book themselves.

Otto the Agent cuts this time significantly, and it's 100% free to customers. Tell Otto "I need to be in Austin Monday morning" and get 2-6 flight options matching your loyalty status and company policy. Confirm one, and you're booked.

Even using conservative one-hour estimates, professionals earning $100,000+ save money when the service eliminates booking time rather than adding approval layers.

Free Tools That Eliminate Platform Costs

Free tools shift the cost equation entirely. Instead of paying $6,000-$140,000 annually in platform fees, you pay only for the flights and hotels you actually book.

Otto is free for 12 months and handles the entire booking process. For companies with 50-200 employees, this eliminates typical platform costs while delivering personalized service.

Other free options include:

Google Flights for price comparison across airlines (though you complete bookings separately)
Skiplagged for hidden-city ticketing deals on one-way trips
TripIt Free for organizing itineraries after booking elsewhere

How to Calculate Your True Cost Per Trip

Most companies track only the obvious expenses. True cost per trip includes direct and indirect costs that rarely appear on the same spreadsheet.

Step 1: Add Direct Costs

Start with airfare, hotel nights, ground transportation, and meals. Add service fees from your TMC or platform, including per-transaction charges and monthly subscriptions divided by trip count.

Step 2: Factor in Indirect Costs

Calculate booking time at loaded salary rates (base salary plus benefits, typically 1.3-1.4x). Include expense report processing time, typically 20-30 minutes per trip. Add manager approval time if your workflow requires it.

Step 3: Apply the Formula

True Cost Per Trip = (Direct Travel Costs + Service Fees + Booking Time Value + Expense Processing Time Value) ÷ Number of Trips

Run this calculation across 10-20 trips to establish your baseline. Companies often discover their true cost runs 15-25% higher than what shows up in travel expense reports. This gap represents one of the biggest business travel challenges for growing companies.

Which Pricing Model Fits Your Company Size

Your employee count and trip frequency determine which pricing model makes financial sense. Here's how to match your situation to the right approach.

Under 25 employees, fewer than 50 trips annually: Free tools or traditional agents work best. Platform subscriptions cost more than the time they save at this volume. Use Otto or Google Flights for booking, and pay per-trip agent fees only for complex international itineraries.
25-100 employees, 50-200 trips annually: This is the decision zone. Calculate your true cost per trip using the framework above. If booking time exceeds 90 minutes per trip on average, subscription platforms start making sense. If your team books efficiently, self-booking tools still win.
100-300 employees, 200-500 trips annually: Subscription platforms typically deliver ROI at this scale. Negotiate hard on per-user rates and push for implementation fee waivers. Free tools like Otto remain competitive if your booking patterns are straightforward.
300+ employees, 500+ trips annually: TMCs and enterprise platforms offer volume discounts that smaller companies can't access. Request formal RFPs from at least three providers and use competing quotes for leverage.

Red Flags in Travel Service Contracts

Contract terms can erase the savings you negotiated on rate cards. Watch for these warning signs before signing.

Auto-renewal clauses: Some contracts auto-renew 60-90 days before expiration, locking you in if you miss the cancellation window.
Hidden per-transaction fees: Addendums may add fees for after-hours bookings, international reservations, or "premium" airline content.
Implementation fees without guarantees: Tie implementation payments to successful deployment milestones, not calendar dates.
Data portability restrictions: Some platforms make exporting booking history difficult, reducing your leverage in future negotiations.
Credit card processing markups: Standard processing runs 2-3%, but some services charge 3.5-4% and pocket the difference.

A clear corporate travel policy helps you evaluate contracts against your actual requirements.

Stop Overpaying for Business Travel

Every pricing model in this guide carries trade-offs, but one pattern holds across company sizes: the less you pay in platform fees, the more budget goes toward actual travel. Free tools like Otto eliminate the subscription and transaction layer entirely, letting your team book in minutes and keep the savings.

Try Otto to stop paying platform fees and book trips in minutes instead of hours.

DEC 4

After 9 months in Beta, Otto is now open to everyone! Read our announcement