A recent study from the Harvard Business Review indicates men and women demonstrate different habits when planning and booking travel. The study, which analyzed 6.4 million flight bookings, indicates that women’s actions are, on average, more proactive. When this travel is for business, such proactivity helps the company’s bottom line by saving additional costs and fees. Below are a few related facts found by the study:
- On average, women buy air travel two days earlier than men. Millennial women show the smallest difference in advance planning.
- The more one travels per year (28 trips or more a year) results in less advance booking. There seems to be no difference for so-called road warriors.
- The older any traveler gets, regardless of gender, the earlier they book. Women, however, book earlier than men at every age group.
- The overall average difference in ticket costs in the study’s uncontrolled result was more than $133 per ticket.
One reason for this difference may be that women anticipate the higher stress experience in purchasing a ticket close to the travel date. As a way to offset this anticipated travel stress, women may be more organized before, during, and after their trip. The study mentions other factors, but ultimately provides this as a variable influencing higher costs for companies. Using this data, it might be beneficial for corporate travel managers to create incentives for travelers who book their tickets earlier.
Looking for other business travel tips? Read 5 Tips for Managing Business Travel Expenses.
