Even good policies have limits
Policies set the right direction, and that’s what they’re for. But the best answer for any given trip depends on the route, the carrier, and the price, right now.
“No domestic flights”
Ignores routes where flying is genuinely the only practical option - island connections, remote offices, tight schedules. Exceptions pile up until the rule means nothing.
“Business class only over 10 hours”
A 9-hour flight and an 11-hour flight are treated completely differently. The threshold is arbitrary; the real trade-off depends on route, price, and traveller context.
“Rail over air where possible”
Sounds sensible until you account for first and last mile, door-to-door time, reliability, and cost. On some routes rail is clearly better; on others it’s significantly worse.
“No first-class rail”
First-class rail can be cheaper than an economy flight on the same route, with a fraction of the emissions. Banning it saves appearances but costs money and carbon.
Policies are a good place to start. But the best results come trip by trip.
Take Edinburgh to London. A simple rule like ‘prefer rail’ sounds sensible, and first-class rail does beat a full-service carrier flight on cost and carbon. But not a £40 easyJet fare from Luton. Even on the same route, the right answer changes by carrier, time, and price. That’s why Intelligence evaluates each booking individually, against what’s actually available right now.
Guidance at the point of booking
RouteZero appears inside your existing booking tools. When a better option exists, travellers see exactly what it is, why it’s recommended, and what’s in it for them.
One decision framework. Three possible outcomes.
For every trip, RouteZero asks: is there a clearly better alternative? If not, it stays out of the way. Most companies start with recommendations alone, then layer in incentives when ready.
You set the tolerances
Define what counts as acceptable for your organisation: journey time, class of travel, departure flexibility, comfort level. These boundaries shape every decision RouteZero makes.
Within tolerances → policy
When the alternative is comparable - on time, comfort and effort, RouteZero recommends it as the preferred option. No incentive needed - the trade-off is reasonable and colleagues are usually happy to accept it.
Optionally, add incentives
When an alternative asks more of the traveller, companies can choose to offer incentives - whether that’s points, cash, or team-level recognition - as explicit acknowledgement of the trade-off. Many organisations start with recommendations alone and layer in incentives later.
Full visibility. Complete control.
You decide the boundaries. RouteZero handles the execution, trip by trip, and reports back.
Works wherever decisions are made
One decision engine, multiple interfaces. The logic stays the same regardless of how it’s delivered.
Browser plugin
Installs on employee devices and works with any booking platform. No booking provider credentials stored, no access to other browser data.
API
Embed RouteZero’s decisions directly into your booking platform or internal tools. Returns ranked recommendations and policy flags programmatically, with optional incentive eligibility.
AI booking assistants
The same decision logic, expressed conversationally. As agentic booking tools emerge, RouteZero ensures automated bookings reflect company tolerances and policy.
Intelligence is the action layer. Here's how it connects.
Each step builds on the last. Start wherever makes sense, and grow when you’re ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
See what Intelligence could achieve for your organisation
Bring your historic travel data and see projected cost and emissions savings before committing. We’ll tell you honestly whether RouteZero can help, and what the impact would look like.