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JOHANNESBURG – As African businesses navigate the twin pressures of economic growth and climate responsibility, artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly revolutionising how – and why – we travel for work.
In a region where fragmented infrastructure and complex travel logistics often drive up both costs and carbon emissions, AI-powered tools are stepping in to streamline routes, reduce unnecessary trips, and promote virtual alternatives.
That said, let’s be clear: air travel is inherently unsustainable, and AI isn’t a silver bullet either, given the extraordinary amounts of energy it consumes. But if designed with purpose, AI can provide both predictive power and behavioural nudges that help companies make lower-impact choices.
“The old approach was to book travel by convenience or habit,” says Mummy Mafojane, General Manager of FCM. “AI changes that by making sustainability a visible and measurable part of every decision. Greener corporate travel isn’t a distant ideal – it’s a present-day imperative. And AI is the enabler that makes it possible, measurable, and scalable.”
Here are six ways that AI is transforming the way we travel:
1. Personalised Travel Experiences
While corporate travel has always been personalised, AI takes that approach to the next level. Learning from past choices – preferred airlines, hotels, departure times or even seating selection – AI can build smarter, more relevant trips that respect both traveller preferences and organisational sustainability policies.
For Jo Lloyd, Head of Account Management & Consulting at FCM Consulting, the future is about partnership between humans and AI. “The best outcomes happen when technology is doing what it’s best at, like processing huge amounts of information quickly, and people are doing what they’re best at: making decisions, solving complex problems, and delivering care,” she says.
2. Smart Booking Solutions
AI-driven platforms now suggest the most eco-friendly route alternatives, consolidate travel to avoid repeat visits, and prioritise greener travel modes – from low-emission flights to electric car rentals and certified green hotels. By presenting these options front and centre in booking tools, AI encourages meaningful shifts in behaviour without sacrificing convenience.
Still, we have work to do. Sustainability remains low on the agenda for most business travellers – particularly when it comes to hotel bookings. We need intelligent systems that not only make greener options available but actively guide users toward them.
For Mafojane, AI presents a real opportunity to connect the dots across the travel ecosystem, ensuring that travel managers don’t just react to problems but actively predict and prevent them.
3. Automated Expense Management
Manual processes are a thing of the past. AI can now automatically track expenses, match receipts to policy, and integrate with company financial systems in real-time. This reduces errors, saves time for both travellers and finance teams, and ensures compliance with green travel policies by flagging non-compliant bookings.
For UK-based Ian Spearing, Global Travel Manager at Arcadis, it’s these “quiet, unglamorous wins” that matter. “If AI can take away repetitive manual tasks – rebooking, data entry, policy checks – we free up human teams to focus on things that really require judgement,” says Spearing.
This increased efficiency enhances not just operations, but employee wellbeing – an often-overlooked factor in sustainable workplace cultures.
4. Real-Time Travel Assistance
Flight cancelled? Weather disruption? AI tools are already scanning the horizon – literally. AI platforms monitor flight paths, climate patterns, and regional disruptions to proactively provide real-time support and alternative solutions.
Daniel Senyard, SVP of Commercial Platforms and Innovation at FCM, explains:
“We’re seeing AI flag potential disruptions before they happen – for example, recognising a storm pattern that might affect flights and proactively suggesting alternate plans. It’s not just about efficiency – it’s about resilience.”
Empowered with instant rebooking capabilities and route suggestions, travellers face less stress, avoid unnecessary overnight stays, and reduce the environmental impact of last-minute detours.
5. Carbon Footprint Tracking
Sustainable travel isn’t just about reducing travel volume – it’s also about making travel as clean as possible. AI can calculate the exact carbon emissions from each trip, considering the transport mode, air carrier performance, fuel efficiency, and route distance. It then determines the necessary offset and, in advanced systems, facilitates the purchase of carbon credits.
Tools such as FCM Extension – a simple browser plugin – provide enhanced decision-making support by generating notifications at the point of search. These nudges alert travellers to carbon outputs, company policy initiatives, and sustainable travel alternatives.
6. Green Accountability
As ESG reporting becomes a board-level concern, AI plays a vital role in generating seamless, accurate reports tailored to meet investor, customer, or regulatory expectations. These reports help enhance brand reputation, build stakeholder trust, and keep companies accountable on their journey to net zero.
“Sometimes the real return is in things you can’t measure easily,” says Spearing. “Like the trust you build with travellers when they see the company going the extra mile to make their journey smoother.”
Starting Small, Scaling Fast
The good news? “You don’t have to overhaul your entire travel programme overnight,” says Spearing. “Pick one process, like trip approvals or disruption management, and run a pilot. You’ll learn a lot about your data, your workflows, and your tolerance for automation.”
By starting small and proving early wins, organisations can quickly build momentum and foster internal buy-in.
No Longer Business as Usual
The corporate world must understand its travel-related emissions. Suppliers should be chosen not just for cost-efficiency, but for their tangible efforts to address their own carbon footprints. And critically, travellers need to embrace a new philosophy – one where travel is purposeful, not habitual.
“We’ve seen corporate travel programmes get better results when they position AI as a driver of overall business performance,” says Senyard. “If your sales team spends less time stuck in airports and more time with clients, that’s a productivity gain – and AI can play a direct role in making that happen.”
As Mafojane explains, ‘business as usual’ is no longer good enough – we have to innovate, and with the right policies, the right tools, and plenty of education and internal buy-in, a better way of travelling is possible.
**ends**
For more information about FCM Travel call Sonnette Fourie on 081 072 2869 or email sonnette@bigambitions.co.za.
About FCM Travel:
FCM Travel, the flagship corporate travel brand at Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG), is the business travel partner of choice for large national, multinational and global corporations. We are an award-winning global corporate travel management company ranking as one of the top five by size around the world. We operate a global network which spans more than 100 countries, employing over 6000 people.
FCM are transforming the business of travel through our empowered and accountable people who deliver 24/7 service and are available either online or offline. Leveraging FCM’s negotiating strength and supplier relationships in conjunction with our tailored business travel programs, our expertise delivers more for our clients where it matters most to them.
Visit us at www.fcmtravel.co.za
Issued by: Big Ambitions
Contact: Lori Cohen
Tel: +27 79 641 4965
Email: Lori@bigambitions.co.za
