Survey of 123 U.S. travel professionals finds significant gaps in trip changes, self-service, and disruption support.
SALT LAKE CITY — August 25, 2026 — Christopherson Business Travel today announced the release of The Booking Breakpoint: Why Corporate Travel Programs Need More Than a Reservation Tool, a new white paper examining where the corporate travel booking experience breaks down after the initial reservation.
Based on a 2026 survey of 123 U.S. travel management, procurement, operations, and finance professionals, the research finds that booking tools are widely used, but the harder test comes after the reservation, when travelers need to change plans or get help. Only 20% of respondents say their current booking tools support their organization’s travel needs “very effectively.”
Those limitations are especially clear in self-service and disruption support. Only 11% say more than three-quarters of trip modifications are successfully handled through self-service tools. During unplanned disruptions, just 10% say their current tools support travelers “very effectively.”
“The real test of a booking platform starts after the reservation,” said Josh Cameron, CEO of Christopherson. “Plans change, disruptions happen, and software can’t solve every situation on its own. Our research reinforces why booking technology and service need to work together across the full trip.”
The white paper examines what happens after the initial transaction, when a traveler needs to change a trip, respond to a disruption, or get help.
The research looks at six areas shaping that experience, including the limits of current self-service tools, disruption support, coordination across trip components, booking-channel fragmentation, the operational cost of post-booking work, and the balance travel buyers want between technology and human support.
Together, the findings point to a broader challenge for managed travel programs: travelers experience one connected trip, while many of the tools supporting them still treat air, hotel, car, and service as separate transactions.
That disconnect can create additional work for travelers and travel teams when a plan changes. It can also push travelers toward other booking or support channels when they believe they can find a faster answer elsewhere, reducing program visibility when it is often needed most.
The white paper also examines how buyers are thinking about AI and self-service. The findings favor a blended model: digital self-service for routine needs, AI where it can help resolve issues faster, and experienced human support when a situation requires judgment or escalation.
The findings reinforce Christopherson’s approach to Andavo Booking, the company’s online booking and trip-servicing tool built into the Andavo travel management platform.
Andavo Booking is designed around the full trip rather than the reservation alone. Booking, traveler context, policy, service, and support work from the same connected trip, giving travelers a clearer path when plans change and giving Christopherson travel advisors more context when they need to step in.
Andavo Policy Engine brings company travel policy directly into the booking process, evaluating options as travelers search and clearly flagging choices based on policy before the reservation is made.
The Booking Breakpoint offers travel managers and other business travel decision-makers a research-based look at the gaps in today’s booking environment and questions to consider when evaluating booking technology, servicing, traveler support, and program visibility.
Download The Booking Breakpoint: Why Corporate Travel Programs Need More Than a Reservation Tool here.
About Christopherson
Founded in 1953, Christopherson is a travel management company that helps organizations run business travel programs through experienced travel advisors, consultative account management, and the Andavo platform. Christopherson gives companies a clearer way to support travelers, manage costs, and understand trip activity across their programs.
Media contact
Jamie Armstrong
Content & Communications Director, Christopherson
► You’ll also like: Christopherson launches Andavo Booking, integrating booking and service across the full trip
We’ve curated some articles to keep you updated on all things Christopherson Business Travel.
