In a strategic move set to reshape the UK’s corporate travel sector, Advantage Travel Partnership, the country’s largest independent travel agent consortium, has announced a new collaboration with AirPlus International, a global provider of corporate payment solutions. The partnership aims to simplify and streamline business travel expense management for travel management companies (TMCs) and their clients across the United Kingdom.
The partnership will provide Advantage members with access to AirPlus’s advanced suite of payment tools—including corporate cards, company cards, and virtual accounts—via the One Stop Business Hub, Advantage’s digital platform offering tailored solutions for travel professionals.
Transforming How the UK Travel Sector Manages Business Expenses
With the corporate travel industry rapidly evolving amid rising operational complexity, digital transformation, and increased pressure for cost control, the need for streamlined financial processes is more urgent than ever. This new alliance offers UK-based TMCs robust tools to improve efficiency, transparency, and control over travel-related expenses.
David Baker, Head of Partnerships for AirPlus UK and Ireland, highlighted the strategic benefits of this integration, noting, “Our solutions are designed to integrate effortlessly with existing booking and accounting systems, delivering measurable value with minimal disruption.”
This seamless integration allows travel managers to access real-time data insights, automate reconciliation processes, and enhance financial oversight across all business travel activities. The tools are especially valuable for mid-to-large enterprises seeking scalable and compliant financial infrastructure.
Supporting the UK’s Business Travel Sector Through Innovation
Andrea Caulfield-Smith, Managing Director of Global Business Travel at Advantage Travel Partnership, reinforced the importance of this partnership in a statement: “In an increasingly complex and fast-paced travel landscape, the ability to deliver seamless, secure, and efficient payment solutions is critical for our members. This collaboration with AirPlus represents a significant step forward in our support for travel managers navigating modern challenges.”
Advantage’s One Stop Business Hub now hosts an expanding range of tools that help members address not only travel planning and procurement but also backend processes like payments and data tracking. With AirPlus’s payment products, members gain access to tools that meet the needs of increasingly digitised finance departments and support compliance with evolving corporate governance standards.
Why Payment Integration Matters More Than Ever
The corporate travel industry in the UK is experiencing a strong rebound, but operational complexity is at an all-time high. According to the UK Office for National Statistics, business travel continues to climb post-pandemic, with companies expecting greater accountability for travel spending. As environmental and ESG reporting requirements tighten, being able to trace, manage, and optimise travel budgets in real-time is now a business imperative.
AirPlus’s products are built for such demands. Their virtual cards and company accounts enable businesses to manage travel payments centrally while maintaining individual transaction visibility. This reduces administrative friction, improves budget control, and enables smarter travel policy enforcement.
Moreover, AirPlus offers data-rich dashboards for TMCs to deliver value-added reporting to their clients, supporting their advisory role in an increasingly consultative business environment.
A Strategic Milestone for Advantage Travel Partnership
Founded in the UK and headquartered in London, Advantage Travel Partnership supports a network of over 350 travel agencies and management companies. With the inclusion of AirPlus in its Business Hub ecosystem, Advantage is expanding its value proposition to offer more holistic support to its members.
This partnership reflects Advantage’s broader strategy of providing integrated travel technology and financial tools to its members. It ensures that TMCs of all sizes can access enterprise-grade payment infrastructure, previously the preserve of large multinational travel firms.
By working with AirPlus—a company with over three decades of experience in global corporate payment systems—Advantage members are empowered to deliver more responsive, efficient, and professional services to corporate clients across sectors including finance, pharmaceuticals, tech, and manufacturing.
Looking Ahead: Future-Proofing UK Corporate Travel
As the UK’s travel ecosystem becomes increasingly digitised and data-driven, collaborations like this are expected to define the next phase of business travel transformation. Advantage and AirPlus are actively responding to the demands of the modern travel buyer, where financial precision, flexibility, and security are non-negotiable.
AirPlus’s integration also positions Advantage members to better comply with emerging sustainability tracking regulations by enabling clearer categorisation of travel emissions based on spend categories—an area of growing focus in corporate ESG reports.
For travel managers, the collaboration promises a simpler, faster way to reconcile trip costs while improving visibility into employee behaviour and policy adherence. For clients, it means a more professional and accountable service from their TMCs—one that reflects the expectations of a new era of business travel.
As the UK continues to solidify its position as a hub for business travel and innovation, the partnership between Advantage Travel Partnership and AirPlus International sends a strong message: the future of corporate travel lies in smart, secure, and streamlined payment solutions that serve both the bottom line and the strategic needs of modern enterprises.
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