As you prepare for upcoming events, it’s important to ensure your travel policies are aligned with your program goals. Based on our experience booking over 11,000 travelers across hundreds of programs, we've identified three primary goals for travel programs:

However, you can't achieve all three perfectly—trade-offs are necessary. Here's how to approach each goal and set clear priorities.

If your goal is to offer a seamless travel booking experience, expect higher costs and fewer restrictions on how and when attendees book their travel.

Case Example:
One client prioritized user experience, setting a generous per-person budget of $3,000, allowing passengers to book flights in any cabin class.
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Outcome: Higher costs, but travelers could book according to their preferences, leading to a positive experience.

Focusing on cost savings will often require stricter travel policies, which can negatively impact user experience.

Case Example:
A client flew 52 people to Europe on a tight $1,000 budget. Many travelers requested out-of-policy bookings, leading to numerous approvals and frustration among travelers.
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Outcome: The company saved money but faced negative feedback and delays in the booking process.

To maximize attendee time at the event, you may need to impose travel restrictions that could raise costs.

Case Example:
A client required all attendees to stay for a final meeting, restricting departures until after 3:00 PM. Limited flight availability led to higher prices and additional hotel stays for some attendees.

​Outcome: The company exceeded its budget but was satisfied with the extra time spent together.

Use AllFly's Forecast Toolto set realistic budgets based on your priorities and avoid common budgeting pitfalls, like relying on basic economy fares that appear in search results but don't meet program needs.

For more guidance, download our travel policy guide for creating policies that align with your program’s goals.

Happy planning!