Major Events Fuel Business Travel Growth in 2026, Survey Finds

American Express recently released its latest Amex Trendex: Business Travel Edition survey, which found that major events are driving business travel growth in 2026. The survey of 1,000 U.S. business travelers and 500 business travel decision-makers showed that 93% plan to attend major events while traveling for business in 2026.

These events are increasingly being used as relationship-building tools, with 85% of business travelers and decision-makers agreeing that bringing clients or prospects to major events is more effective than traditional activities like dining. The survey also found that nearly four-in-five (82%) business travelers say they are more likely to win new business after hosting a client or prospect at a major event.

The data suggests that businesses are using travel to deepen relationships and create memorable experiences for clients. This is evident in the fact that over 90% of decision-makers say the ability to review, approve, or change an AI agent's recommendations before booking is very important. However, there are still operational challenges, with finance teams spending an average of 15 hours per month manually updating, reviewing, or reconciling travel-related data across disconnected systems.