It might feel like a distant memory, but in 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic radically transformed how people lived, and specifically how they worked. At the time, plenty of health experts, CEOs, and publications (including WIRED) predicted that Covid would grind business travel to a halt indefinitely.
However, once vaccines became widely available and the threat subsided, company executives started calling workers back to the office in droves. According to a 2024 report from the World Travel & Tourism Council, global business travel has now surpassed pre-pandemic levels and was estimated to account for $1.5 trillion in spending last year alone.
This package of stories is a primer on where you can expect business travel to take you in the years to come. The teams of WIRED and Condé Nast Traveler have pooled their collective expertise to bring you thoughtful, deeply reported stories on everything from multiday commutes to the tech that keeps planes in the air on the world’s longest flights. We also answer all your questions about how to do business travel better, from maximizing your hotel points to managing your expenses and, of course, the best luggage and gear to buy before your next trip. Business travel, like the world itself, might be moving fast, but a little well-curated information from the teams who know it best is all you need to be a master of the skies.
