The top travel assistance companies businesses rely on
Built for teams who handle policies, approvals and traveller safety
Corporate travel has become more demanding in recent years. More people are travelling for work, trips are lasting longer and expectations around safety and support are far higher than they used to be. For travel, HR and finance teams, that means booking flights and hotels is no longer enough — traveller wellbeing, policy compliance and risk management now sit at the centre of every trip.
That’s why more companies are turning to travel assistance companies.
These are the organisations working behind the scenes to keep travellers supported when plans change, flights are cancelled, medical help is needed abroad or documentation goes missing. They offer real-time help when things go wrong, and give companies confidence that their duty of care obligations are being met.
In other words, travel assistance isn’t about luxury perks. It’s about protecting people, staying compliant and making sure business travel keeps moving even when problems arise.
Next, let’s get clear on what travel assistance actually involves and how it differs from traditional travel booking.
What is travel assistance (and how is it different from travel booking)?
Travel assistance is not the same as travel booking. Booking gets your employees from A to B — flights, hotels, ground transport and the itinerary they’ll follow. Travel assistance supports them when something goes wrong along the way.
It’s the difference between reserving a hotel room and getting help when a traveller arrives and the booking isn’t recognised. Or between booking a flight and having someone organise a new one when the original is cancelled and they’re stranded overseas.
Here’s how the two compare in practice:
Travel booking | Travel assistance |
Flights, hotels, trains | Medical emergencies abroad |
Trip itineraries | Flight disruption support |
Policy-approved hotel rates | Lost passport or documents |
Group bookings | Emergency evacuation or repatriation |
Expense documentation | 24/7 traveller support and duty of care updates |
In summary, travel assistance is the safety net.
Some providers specialise purely in emergency medical help and repatriation (like Allianz Assistance or International SOS). Others, such as large travel management companies, package assistance with booking, spend control and reporting. Platforms like Roomex sit in-between — handling bookings, payments and visibility, while supporting travellers with real human help when things go off-plan.
As duty of care rules tighten and employee expectations rise, businesses are no longer asking if they should provide travel assistance, but who they should trust to deliver it.
Why businesses are investing in travel assistance now
Travel has picked up again, and with it, the risks, costs and responsibilities that come with sending people on the road. What’s changed is the expectation. Travellers don’t just want flights and hotels booked; they want to know someone has their back if things go wrong. And companies can no longer afford to treat that as an afterthought.
Three big shifts are driving the rise in demand for travel assistance companies:
1. Duty of care isn’t optional
Employers are legally and ethically responsible for their travellers’ safety. If someone gets caught in extreme weather, political unrest, a medical emergency or even a missed connection, companies are expected to provide help — not apologies.
A travel policy alone doesn’t solve that. Real support comes from having a partner who can:
- Locate travellers at any time
- Contact them during crises
- Organise medical support or evacuation
- Rebook flights and accommodation when plans collapse
2. Travel disruptions are more frequent (and more costly)
Flight cancellations, strikes, lost luggage, last-minute schedule changes — none of that is new. But it’s more common and more expensive than before.
Every disrupted trip doesn’t only bring a frustrated traveller — it brings missed meetings, wasted spend, extra hotel nights, and pressure on finance to explain why budgets keep creeping up. Travel assistance providers reduce that impact by fixing problems fast, before they snowball.
Looking for comfortable accommodation and simple expense management tailored specifically for the mobile workforce?
Discover how Roomex can streamline your travel needs, offering hassle-free booking and expense solutions designed to keep your team focused on the job. Try Roomex today and experience the difference in efficiency and convenience for your mobile workforce.
3. Traveller expectations have changed
People are travelling more frequently for work, often alone and to unfamiliar places. Many are extending work trips for leisure too. They want flexibility, but also reassurance.
What’s shifted is how they define “support.” Not a chatbot. Not an email ticket. They expect a human response — someone who can pick up the phone, talk to the airline, book a new hotel or speak to an embassy if needed.
Clearly, travel assistance has gone from a “nice extra” to a core part of responsible travel planning. Which raises the real question — who should you trust with it?
Next, we’ll look at the travel assistance companies businesses rely on most.
The top travel assistance companies businesses rely on
Not all travel assistance companies work the same way. Some focus on emergency medical support. Others combine booking, spend tracking and traveller protection in one platform. The best choice depends on how your business travels, how often, and how much support your employees realistically need on the road.
Below are the providers most commonly trusted by corporate travel, HR and finance teams — including a mix of global travel management companies and specialist assistance providers.
1. American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT
One of the biggest names in business travel, Amex GBT mixes bookings, policy management and travel assistance into a single platform.
Why businesses choose them:
- 24/7 traveller support in 140+ countries
- Disruption alerts + automatic rebooking during flight cancellations
- Traveller tracking and risk updates for duty of care
- Integrations with expense tools like SAP Concur and HR systems
Best for: Enterprise businesses with frequent international travel and centralised policies.
2. BCD Travel
Known for data-driven travel programmes and traveller safety tools, BCD provides both proactive risk management and on-demand assistance.
Key features:
- Real-time alerts on global disruptions and security risks
- “TripSource” mobile app for employees: itineraries, alerts, support
- Traveller tracking and emergency communication dashboard
- Sustainability reporting and CO₂ emissions tracking
Best for: Companies that want strong analytics and traveller visibility alongside support.
3. FCM Travel
FCM offers a more personalised travel assistance model — pairing digital tools with dedicated travel consultants.
What stands out:
- Live 24/7 support delivered by real humans (not outsourced call centres)
- Traveller tracking and direct messaging during crises
- AI-assisted booking tool “Freda” + human agent backup
- Flexible policies for last-minute changes and team travel
Best for: Mid-sized companies that want both modern tech and personalised service.
4. CTM (Corporate Travel Management)
CTM focuses on fast response times, cost savings and traveller safety — ideal for businesses with high travel volume.
Top assistance features:
- Emergency help through CTM’s global travel hub
- Risk management system that monitors global events and affected travellers
- Intelligent online booking tool with policy compliance built-in
- Live travel alerts sent directly to employees
Best for: Businesses needing scalable support without enterprise-level complexity.
5. Egencia (part of Expedia Group)
Egencia blends consumer-style travel booking with corporate-grade compliance and assistance.
Why travel managers use it:
- Intuitive booking dashboard with global hotel and flight inventory
- Duty of care tools: traveller tracking, risk alerts, crisis notifications
- Automatic policy enforcement at booking
- 24/7 live agent support for itinerary changes and emergencies
Best for: Companies wanting familiar UX and strong policy control in one platform.
6. Allianz Assistance
Unlike traditional travel management companies, Allianz specialises in travel insurance and emergency assistance — medical, legal and logistical.
Key support areas:
- 24/7 medical and travel helpdesk in 40+ languages
- Emergency medical evacuation and repatriation
- Lost passport, luggage and travel document assistance
- Customisable corporate travel insurance plans
Best for: Companies sending employees to higher-risk destinations or without a full travel management structure.
7. Roomex (where we fit in)
Roomex isn’t a traditional travel assistance provider or travel insurer. Instead, it sits at the booking and traveller support stage — helping companies handle accommodation, payments and traveller safety in one platform.
How Roomex supports corporate travel:
- Centralised hotel booking with exclusive workforce rates
- Live duty of care map: see where your travellers are
- No employee card spend — bookings are prepaid with RoomexPay
- 24/7 human support if a traveller is stranded, overbooked or needs to rearrange plans
- Expense receipts and reports generated automatically
Best for: Companies with mobile or field-based workforces who need accommodation, support and spend control — without the complexity of a full TMC.
Which travel assistance company fits your business?
Not every company needs the same type of support. Some want full-service travel management with policy control and analytics. Others just need reliable emergency help, traveller tracking or better control of hotel bookings. This table gives a quick side-by-side view of how each provider supports different business needs:| Company | Travel booking | Travel assistance & emergency support | Duty of care tools | Expense management | Best suited for |
| Amex GBT | ✔ Flights, hotels, car hire | ✔ Global 24/7 support + rebooking | ✔ Traveller tracking + alerts | ✔ Integrates with major expense tools | Large global enterprises |
| BCD Travel | ✔ | ✔ Risk alerts + traveller safety | ✔ Real-time dashboards | ✔ Integrated reporting | Data-focused mid-large companies |
| FCM Travel | ✔ | ✔ Human-led 24/7 assistance | ✔ Crisis communication tools | ✔ Policy-linked booking system | Businesses wanting personal service |
| CTM | ✔ | ✔ Emergency response team | ✔ Event monitoring + traveller visibility | ✔ Customisable workflows | Fast-scaling companies |
| Egencia | ✔ | ✔ Live support and disruption alerts | ✔ Policy controls + risk tracking | ✔ Automated expense reports | Companies wanting consumer-style UX |
| Allianz Assistance | ✖ (insurance provider) | ✔ Medical, legal, evacuation support | ✖ Limited (insurance-led only) | ✖ | High-risk travel or insurance-only needs |
| Roomex | ✔ Accommodation-focused | ✔ Real human support if things go wrong | ✔ Live duty of care map | ✔ Automated receipts + no travel card spend | Mobile and field-based workforces |
How to choose the right provider for you
Before signing with any travel assistance company, ask:
- How often do we travel — and where?
Frequent European trips look very different from long-haul or high-risk destinations. - Do our travellers book last-minute or months ahead?
Some platforms handle changes better than others. - Do we want full travel management or just emergency support?
- Are bookings centralised or are employees booking on their own credit cards?
- Does finance get visibility of spend — or are costs coming in after the trip?
If your travellers are mostly staying in hotels across the UK and Europe — engineers, contractors, field teams — Roomex might suit better than a global TMC. If you’re flying executives to Singapore and Boston every month, Amex GBT or BCD may be a better fit. For medical emergencies or insurance-only cover, Allianz is often the first choice.
Support matters just as much as bookings
Business travel isn’t going anywhere, and neither are the expectations around safety and financial control. Booking flights and hotels is only one side of the job. What really protects a company is what happens when plans fall apart, flights are disrupted or a traveller needs help far from home.
That’s why travel assistance companies have become essential to modern corporate travel. Some offer medical and emergency support, others manage entire travel programmes from booking to reporting.
Where Roomex fits is simple:
It gives companies control over hotel bookings, spend and traveller safety without the complexity of a full global TMC. Travellers aren’t left to pay out of pocket, finance teams don’t chase receipts and if something goes wrong on the road, there’s real support at the end of the phone.
If you’re building a travel policy that prioritises people as much as processes, now is the time to put assistance at the core, not as a bolt-on.
Want travel booking, support and spend control in one place?
Book a Roomex demo and see how we simplify corporate travel from start to finish.