The end of the year is a time for reflection and pondering what we’ve learnt. Here are my insights, predictions and not-so-wise things I’ve made a habit of:

Collaborations, partnerships and brilliant pairings

Traitors and faithfuls, England’s Red Roses and the Rugby World Cup trophy, White Lotus and luxury hotels – these are just some of the big duo moments of 2025.

In the corporate travel space there have been plenty of interesting collaborations and I’m predicting that this trend will continue and grow into 2026. Starlink and airline groups and Amex GBT and Concur made headlines in 2025. There will be much more to come.

Ground transport is having a moment

More conversations on ground transport spend, and ensuring it is managed within policy, are shifting attention from skies and beds to the roads. And this sector has never been hotter – growth, acquisitions and investment are coming from all sides.

Ground transport’s moment is a result of the combined force of innovation in the sector to grow awareness, and traveller demand for well-rounded policies from the first mile to the last. Our research tells us that if a journey is too fragmented or lacks elements of comfort, then travellers take matters into their own hands. Now is the time to address this.

AI grows up

Robotaxi investment is hotting up, although with the caveat that regulations and travel policies are far from ready for mainstream usage.

The tech is there, albeit in its ‘growing-up’ years, trying to find its place and purpose.

We don’t yet know how powerful the combination of true expertise, insight and care – working hand in hand with AI – will be. I’m excited by what I see in terms of service enhancements coming to the mainstream in business travel.

Losing things is a bad habit

My New Year’s resolution is not to lose things. As I write this I am also on the phone to a hotel in Hamburg to try and get back some airpods. I may AirTag everything I own, but technology alone cannot help me.

Despite having lost something at pretty much every hotel and event I have been to this year, I have never lost something in a Blacklane. The care of our chauffeur partners includes checking that a guest has all their belongings. I won’t share how many times it has been noticed my phone is still on the back seat.

All these points remind me to never lose sight of how powerful first-class service is. Partnerships, travel policies and AI integrations are all developed to improve travel experiences. Success in 2026 will be rooted in this, as long as I can find my phone!

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