Engine.com is the best hotel booking website for business travelers. Here's why.
Enjoy Corporate Rates on Hotels, Car Rentals, and Airfare When Booking with Engine.com. One Site. One Platform. Lots of Savings.
Overwhelmed by rising business travel expenses, especially lodging? Engine.com's free platform prioritizes easy hotel bookings with up to 60% corporate discounts from 750,000 partners, while also integrating car rentals and flights for total savings and simplified admin.
In today's fast-paced business world, travel is essential for growth, networking, and closing deals. But managing it can be a nightmare. Globally, companies are projected to spend $1.64 trillion on business travel in 2025 (pdf), up from $1.48 trillion in 2024, with lodging alone accounting for a significant chunk around $501 billion based on recent figures. In the US, business travel spending is expected to reach $350 billion in 2025, with the average trip costing companies about $1,018 per traveler. Beyond the dollars, the administrative burden is staggering: employees at smaller companies spend up to 70% more time on travel logistics than those at larger firms, often wasting hours on bookings, approvals, and reimbursements. This not only drains productivity but also leads to higher costs from scattered bookings and missed discounts.
To illustrate these business travel trends further, here are some key stats based on the latest industry forecasts and polls as of mid-2025.
Engine.com - The Best Website for Booking Business Travel
Enter Engine.com a free booking platform designed specifically for business travelers and small business owners. With just a work email, you gain access to a massive database of 750,000 hotel partners offering exclusive corporate rates. Typical savings range from 15-30% off retail rates, with potential upsides of up to 60% on select bookings. But it's not just about money: Engine centralizes everything, slashing admin time by streamlining bookings, reporting, and billing. Studies show centralized platforms like this can reduce travel planning steps, enforce policies automatically, and free up employees for core work potentially saving hours per trip and thousands in annual overhead.
Trusted by over 60,000 business users from mom-and-pop shops to multinational giants like Whole Foods, NBC, Pepsi, and AMN Healthcare Engine makes corporate travel effortless. Let's dive into how it works and why it's a game-changer.
Getting Started: Simplicity at Its Core
Signing up is a breeze. All you need is a work email to create an account. Once in, browse and book from hundreds of thousands of hotels worldwide, all vetted for business needs and offering discounted corporate rates. No more juggling multiple sites or dealing with consumer-focused platforms that ignore business perks. This centralized approach not only cuts costs but also minimizes the time spent hunting for deals often reducing admin workload by consolidating bookings into one system.
Key Features of Engine.com
Engine packs powerful tools to make travel management seamless. Here's a concise list of the main features:
- Dashboard + Reporting: Gain full visibility into your team's travel with an intuitive dashboard. Track trends like company-wide lodging spend, average nightly rates, and total bookings. Dive into details on staff locations, check-in/out dates, top bookers, and destinations. Custom reports (downloadable as CSV or PDF) include filters by department, city, or hotel, plus savings insights from rewards and cancellations. Set travel policies and permissions for compliance, all in one easy-to-read interface.
- Centralized Billing & Direct Billing: Consolidate all expenses into a single, searchable invoice say goodbye to reconciling scattered receipts. Engine fronts hotel and flight costs, improving cash flow by letting you book now and pay later via autopay or statements. Export folios in CSV/PDF for reconciliation, with no contracts or fees. From the FAQ: Bills cover consumed nights/flights in the period, with approval in 2 business days after a quick credit check. Users rave about saving time on credit card authorizations.
- Flexibility to Change or Cancel Bookings: For $200/month (premium feature), FlexPro acts as insurance for all your hotel bookings unlimited changes or cancellations up to noon on check-in day, no blackout dates, and refunds/credits regardless of hotel policies. It covers multi-room bookings and saves an average of $440 per cancellation, protecting over 55,000 reservations yearly. Ideal for business travel's frequent itinerary shifts, it eliminates fees and stress.
- Coverage for Hotel Incidentals: Opt-in per booking to have Engine cover incidental charges upfront no personal credit card needed at check-in, avoiding holds (up to $500) that tie up funds for days. Get a centralized monthly invoice for all team incidentals, simplifying reconciliation and easing travel burdens.
These features collectively reduce costs by enforcing discounts and policies while cutting admin time through automation and centralization.
Free vs. Premium: What's Included?
Engine offers a robust free tier, with premium upgrades for advanced needs. Here's a clear comparison table based on their pricing structure:
The free plan covers essentials for most small businesses, while premium adds that critical "insurance" layer for high-volume or unpredictable travel.
Double the Rewards: Engine's Loyalty Program
Stretch your budget further with the Engine Rewards program. Earn points on every hotel booking, redeemable for free nights or discounts no blackout dates. The best part? Connect your existing loyalty programs to double-dip: earn from Engine and partners like American Airlines, Hertz, Enterprise, Radisson Rewards, IHG Rewards, Travel Pass, Hilton, Marriott Bonvoy, Extended Stay America, and more. Points process after your stay and expire only after a year of inactivity easy to maintain with regular bookings.
Round-the-Clock Support When You Need It
Travel doesn't stick to business hours, so neither does Engine. Their 24/7 US-based live support handles everything from booking tweaks to billing questions and on-trip emergencies. The team acts on your behalf with hotels or partners, ensuring quick resolutions without contracts or extra fees. As one user put it, it's like having a personal concierge for peace of mind.
Why Switch to Engine.com Today?
For small business owners and frequent travelers, Engine.com isn't just a booking tool it's a complete solution that saves real money(15-60% on rates) and reclaims hours lost to logistics. With global spending on business lodging skyrocketing, why not join the 60,000+ users, including industry leaders, and make travel work for you? Sign up with your work email atEngine.com and experience the difference. Your bottom line and your sanity will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can any size business book hotels through Engine.com?
