Annual GBTA Survey Shows 5 Percent Increase in Year Over Year

Average Compensation for Business Travel Buyers

Alexandria, VA (September 30, 2015) – Travel buyer satisfaction with their salaries and benefits is on the rise as average total compensation for travel buyers climbed 5 percent year-over-year to $110,000, according to findings released today from the GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the Global Business Travel Association. Median income also rose 6 percent over 2014 to $103,000.

The 2015 Compensation and Benefits study reveals GTP Certification holders earn 8 percent more than those without it. Compensation rises with career level, education and company spend size. Average salary size is directly correlated to company spend size, however, there is a 30 percent increase in average salaries between those working at companies with an annual spend of less than $10 million ($82,000) and those at companies with an annual spend of $10 million to less than $50 million ($117,000).

Salaries also vary by company type and region, with those working at a for-profit company ($111,000) earning higher average compensation than those at non-profit companies ($95,000). Those living in the Northeastern ($118,000) or Western ($114,000) regions of the United States earn more than those in the Midwest ($105,000) or South ($96,000).

“The annual 2015 Compensation and Benefits study is designed to allow individuals to easily compare their compensation level and benefits with their peers,” said Joseph Bates, GBTA Foundation Vice President of Research. “While no two individuals will view a compensation package in exactly the same way, the study reveals benefits appealing to many very satisfied buyers providing a helpful guideline for companies when designing their benefit programs.”

Benefits
While a number of valuable benefits are offered to buyers by their companies, few are fully funded. Almost all companies offer health insurance (99 percent), dental insurance (99 percent), vision insurance (96 percent), life insurance (93 percent), a defined contribution plan (e.g. 401k) (93 percent) and short-term disability (90 percent). A majority of employees say their company only covers some of the costs of each benefit.

Satisfaction
Three quarters of buyers are either very satisfied (27 percent) or satisfied (49 percent) with the compensation packages provided by their companies. This continues a trend from last year of rising satisfaction causing those who are neutral (15 percent) or dissatisfied (8 percent) with their compensation to shrink.

Very satisfied travel buyers more often receive cell phone reimbursement, flexible work schedules and the ability to work from home when compared to buyers overall. In addition, they also work for companies that cover the full cost of grants of company stock, cell phone reimbursement and parking.

Methodology

285 U.S. travel buyers, both GBTA members and non-members, were surveyed online between June 24 and July 16, 2015.

Note: Data labeled as 2014 depicts responses from current research participants recalling their incomes from last year. Because respondents in this survey differ from year to year, data gathered in previous iterations are not comparable to this year’s sample.

The 2015 Compensation and Benefits study is free of charge to all GBTA members by clicking here. Non-members may purchase the report through the GBTA Foundation by emailing pyachnes@gbtafoundation.org.

CONTACT: Colleen Gallagher, +1 703-236-1133, cgallagher@gbta.org

About the GBTA Foundation
The GBTA Foundation is the education and research foundation of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. Collectively, GBTA’s 7,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA provides its growing network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts with world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media. The Foundation was established in 1997 to support GBTA’s members and the industry as a whole. As the leading education and research foundation in the business travel industry, the GBTA Foundation seeks to fund initiatives to advance the business travel profession. The GBTA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, see www.gbta.org and www.gbta.org/foundation.

About the Global Business Travel Association
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. GBTA’s 9,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. To learn how business travel drives lasting business growth, gbta.org