Focus on payments: Four in ten business travellers use corporate cards for personal purchases

7 November, 2018

According to new research commissioned by CWT, four in ten business travellers admit to using corporate cards for personal purchases - 46% of American and European travellers, and 38% of travellers in Asia Pacific.

"Travel managers need to address the misuse of company cards - and also work out why travellers don't follow the rules," said Christophe Renard, Vice President of CWT Solutions Group, the consultancy arm of Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

The practice is rife, even though 63% of Americans, and 58% of Europeans, say their company has a policy against using corporate credit cards for personal purchases, with an enforcement ratio of 85% in both regions. Among Asia Pacific travellers, 69% said their company has such a policy, with an enforcement ratio of 87%.

Overall, six in ten global business travellers said their employer provides them with a corporate credit card. Those in Asia Pacific were likeliest to have one (67%), followed by those in the Americas (61%) and those in Europe (56%).

While corporate cards are used to make personal purchases, the findings show that personal cards are also often used for business travel expenses.

Globally, 49% of business travellers always use their personal credit card when traveling for business. Travelers from Asia Pacific were significantly more inclined to do so (55%) than those in the Americas (48%) or Europe (44%).

"The use of personal credit cards for business expenses means companies find it difficult to track spend - and that makes it a lot harder to enforce policies," said Renard. "If companies don't want to issue credit cards to all employees - which is understandable - virtual credit cards are a useful compromise. Travelers don't have to use their personal cards for business expenses, and companies know exactly how their money is being spent."


CAPA's remaining corporate events for 2018:

Key topics covered at the CAPA Asia Corporate Travel Summit include:

  • CAPA aviation outlook for the corporate market
  • Supply and demand forecast for hotels
  • Safety and security challenges of the mobile workforce
  • Maximising value out of your travel programme
  • Digitisation, personalisation and mobilisation of travel
  • Balancing the needs of the modern business traveller with programme objectives and policies
  • Role of travel as a procurement category

Key topics covered at the CAPA-ACTE Global Summit & Corporate Lodging Forum include:

  • Latest strategic developments in global aviation: the impact of new aircraft, new business models and airport systems on both the aviation industry and the traveller
  • Modern technologies and game changers that will help transform your travel programme, save costs and generate efficiencies
  • The spokes of corporate travel: fly, sleep, ground, pay, meet, support and book
  • AI and Big Data
  • Managing your travel policy and measuring costs against ROI
  • Sourcing and negotiating your programme
  • What procurement is looking for from the travel industry
  • Latest developments in the realm of NDC and payments
  • The future of the TMC