U.S. companies spent $45 billion on project-based business travel last year, covering lodging, transportation, dining and other trip-related expenses, according to the Global Business Travel Association.
Project-based travel is defined as trips tied to a specific project with a clear start and end date, trips lasting at least four nights, or travel with a recurring component. These trips made up roughly 15% of corporate travel spending and about 12% of all business trips during the year.
The report identified top destinations for project-based business travel, with major U.S. cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago and San Francisco ranking among the most frequented.
Spending per traveler on project-based trips averaged $679, notably higher than the $533 average for other business travel. The gap is driven by longer durations and larger budgets for project work, with lodging costs particularly elevated: hotel expenses for project-based travel were 142% higher than for other types of business trips.
Broken down by category, project-based travelers collectively spent $15.9 billion on lodging, $14.6 billion on air transportation, $7 billion on food and beverage, $1.8 billion on entertainment, $4.2 billion on ground transportation and $1.9 billion on retail purchases.
These figures highlight how project-driven assignments shape corporate travel patterns and budgets, emphasizing extended stays and higher accommodation needs compared with typical business travel.