Business trips in Germany seem to be finding their old rhythm again. A look at SAP Concur’s numbers tells us that global airline ticket bookings jumped roughly 4% in 2024 compared to the previous year—and Germany isn’t lagging behind either.
Business travel is bouncing back. You can see travelers hustling in busy airport terminals, while others settle in on high-speed trains to get the work done. Even with a bit of economic jitter here and there, people are on the move much more than they were last year. Generally speaking, the energy is back even if it isn’t in perfect sync across the board.
SAP Concur compared flight and train bookings from 2023 to 2024, and the findings mesh with the GBTA Business Travel Outlook 2025. Around 71% of travel managers expect an increase in travel volume this year—and nearly half of them believe that trend will carry over into the next year as well. It’s a picture of a gradual comeback in business travel.
When it comes to getting around within Germany and its neighbors, trains still have the edge. Even though global flight bookings are on the rise, about 42% more rail tickets were snapped up compared to airplane tickets last year. In a bit of a twist, German rail bookings overall were up by roughly 4% in 2024 versus 2023.
Ticket prices on the rails didn’t hold steady either. Average rail fares edged up by about 6%, moving from €89 to €95. The summer stretch—particularly August and September—tends to cost companies more, with average prices at €116 and €102 respectively. Curiously, travel dips in August and December (likely because of holiday breaks and the Advent season), with December rail journeys falling to nearly 58% below the levels seen in June, the busiest month.
Still, while trains are a favorite for local trips, air travel is catching on for international meetings. Global international flight bookings rose by around 11% last year, with companies across the board reporting about a 10% increase. In Germany, though, companies had to fork out a bit extra—international fares were about 3% higher, climbing from roughly €947 to €971, even though worldwide averages didn’t really take off.
Looking at the calendar, business flights tend to be jam-packed in April, September, and October, whereas December sees a noticeable lull. In Germany, many employees like to keep the Christmas season low-key at home. Then there’s the post-holiday kick-off: January and February witness the highest travel activity, partly fueled by year-end events. This shift also helps companies save a bit—the average December ticket price hit around €1,115 but then dropped over €200 in January, settling close to €889.
German businesses rely on travel not just to get from point A to point B but also to build better customer ties and foster employee growth. With prices creeping up and cost pressures mounting, keeping travel expenses clear and manageable has become key to making business journeys work.