UK travel buyers will see some of the lowest car rental price increases in Europe over the next two years, according to the latest Ground Monitor 2026-2027 from American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT).
UK rates are forecast to rise by between 0.6% and 1.3%, restrained by recovering vehicle supply and strong competition among providers.
This places the UK alongside France and Spain (flat to 0.5%) at the lower end of global rate increases. Elsewhere in Europe, prices in Germany are forecast to rise between 1% and 2%, while the Netherlands stands out with increases of 4% to 5% driven by changes to local vehicle taxes.
Outside Europe, US and Canadian rates are expected to grow by 1.5% to 2%, with Australia seeing larger rises of 3% to 3.4%.
Despite steady base rates, the report warns travel managers to watch for indirect cost drivers. North America in particular is seeing a significant rise in city surcharges, airport fees and day-of-week rates, alongside rising vehicle insurance costs.
The report also examines the financial tipping point between car rental and ride-hailing services. Across top business destinations, renting a vehicle proved cheaper for a single-day trip in half of the cities studied once parking and tolls were included. However, extending the stay to two days made ride-hailing the cheaper option across every city tested.
Addressing programme strategy, Amex GBT notes that easing supply chain pressures mean corporations no longer need to split volume across multiple suppliers to secure inventory.
Travel managers are advised to consolidate spend onto one or two key rental partners to negotiate better volume deals, while auditing bookings by vehicle category to prevent premium upgrades driving up average daily rates.
“Looking globally, we expect prices to be stable, with moderate increases in geographies where local conditions, including taxes and the availability of cars to rent, could push up prices,” said Sara Andell, Director of Consulting Strategy at Amex GBT Consulting.
Further ahead, the report identifies electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) as a potential new option for airport transfers and other final-mile journeys. Dubai could see its first electric air taxi service in 2026, while regulators in the US, China and Gulf are progressing frameworks for eVTOL services.
