How Structure Therapeutics scaled global travel by 385% while saving over 1,500 hours annually
What happens when a fast-growing biotech company needs to fly 100 people internationally, manage daily bookings between San Francisco and Shanghai, and coordinate monthly company-wide office weeks... all without hiring a travel department? Structure Therapeutics found out.
It involves one incredibly dedicated Travel Manager, some seriously impressive hotel negotiations from their Customer Success Manager, and enough time savings to make managers do a happy dance. Here's how Structure Therapeutics transformed its travel program into a competitive advantage (and saved over 1,500 hours doing it).
About Structure Therapeutics
Structure Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of pill-form GLP-1 treatments. Headquartered in San Francisco with significant operations in Shanghai and expanding presence in Texas, the company manages complex international travel for approximately 100 employees across multiple continents.
As Structure Therapeutics ramped up its clinical trial activity and global expansion, travel became a critical business function (and a growing operational headache).
The challenge: Too many platforms, not enough hours in the day
Structure Therapeutics was drowning in travel admin before working with our business travel team at Corporate Traveler.
"Before partnering with Corporate Traveler, our travel process felt fragmented and time-intensive and didn't utilize possible savings with a travel company's airline and hotel buying power," said Lori Rudoni, Finance Associate at Structure Therapeutics. "We managed bookings across different platforms, handling changes reactively, and spending too much internal time coordinating logistics."
The bottom line? A fragmented process across multiple booking sites, scrambling to handle last-minute changes, and way too much time spent on travel coordination. The team didn't need another booking tool. They needed a travel partner who could deliver real help.
The solution: A dedicated travel dream team
Structure Therapeutics chose us in 2022, and it was love at first conversation.
"We chose to work with Corporate Traveler because of the immediate sense of partnership and care," Rudoni shared. "From our first conversations, your team demonstrated a genuine understanding of business travel challenges and a commitment to personalized service. The dedicated Travel Manager model truly stood out. We knew our travelers would be well taken care of."
Instead of navigating endless airline hold times, wrestling with hotel negotiations, and manually coordinating every single change, Structure Therapeutics gained a dedicated Travel Manager (the incomparable Kyla Druckman) and strategic customer success support from Katie Cuilty.
How Corporate Traveler delivered the goods
High-touch service that actually scales
With approximately 10 flights booked per day, Kyla became more than a Travel Manager. She became part of the team, handling everything from routine bookings to VIP executive itineraries and those delightful airline complications we all know and love. Not only that but Kyla does what Kyle does best and that’s proactively checking for fare drops and last minute deals which adds to Structure’s ROI every day.
"I have a good relationship with all of their major travelers. I know all of their preferences," said Kyla Druckman, Travel Manager at Corporate Traveler.
By offloading booking and travel management, Structure Therapeutics saves an estimated 30 to 50 hours per week in internal coordination time. That's more than 1,500 hours annually that the team can redirect toward growing the business.
Oh, and airline issue resolution alone? That saves an estimated 300 to 400 hours per year. Because who has time for two-hour hold times with customer service? (Nobody.)
Cost control without compromise
Katie Cuilty came in hot with negotiations that make finance teams jump for joy:
- Exclusive $199 per night hotel rate at a specific property in San Francisco across all bookings
- Hilton contracts with double points and perks
The bottom line? $1.56 saved for every dollar spent on our services in 2025, with year-over-year cost reductions that speak for themselves:
- Around $500 reduction in average airline ticket cost
- Cost per mile slashed to $0.14
- Savings across every single travel category
When 100 people need flights yesterday
- Imagine a global meeting with over 100 international attendees. Everyone needs flights. Most people want to book in the first five days. Potential disaster, right?
- Enter Kyla.
- She managed the entire tsunami of requests, secured competitive fares, and tracked passenger counts across multiple flights without breaking a sweat.
- "Kyla handled the high volume of requests with exceptional efficiency," Rudoni recalled. "Her organization and dedication saved me an enormous amount of time and effort in managing travel logistics."
- Crisis averted. Retreat success.
Proactive problem-solving
- From navigating international route disruptions to securing airline waivers travelers couldn't get on their own, Corporate Traveler doesn't just react. We anticipate, advocate, and occasionally work magic.
- "They're very understanding, but I still go out of my way to make sure they're as happy as possible," said Kyla.
- That's the difference between a vendor and a partner.
The results: The numbers don't lie
Time is money (and we saved both)
"The biggest improvement has been time savings and overall efficiency," said Rudoni. "Having a dedicated Travel Manager who proactively manages bookings, changes, and special requests has significantly reduced my administrative burden."
Let's break it down:
- 1,500+ hours per year reclaimed from booking and coordination
- 300 to 400 hours annually saved in airline issue resolution alone
- Faster approvals and streamlined workflows using the Melon platform
That's basically an entire full-time employee's worth of time. Back in their pocket.
ROI that makes everyone look good
- $1.56 ROI in 2025
- 385% growth in travel spend managed efficiently without adding internal headcount
- Significant reductions in average ticket price and cost per mile year-over-year
Travelers who actually enjoy traveling
"We've also seen better cost control and, most importantly, improved traveler satisfaction thanks to the seamless experience," Rudoni added.
Our high-touch approach means travelers skip the hold times, get personalized service, and experience fewer disruptions (even on those brutal international itineraries).
Happy travelers = happy life.
The secret sauce: It's all about partnership
"Our favorite part is the responsiveness and personal attention we consistently receive," said Rudoni. "Kyla, our dedicated Travel Manager, understands our preferences, anticipates needs, and handles even last-minute disruptions with professionalism and calm. That level of dedication truly sets Corporate Traveler apart."
Structure Therapeutics didn't just get a vendor. They got a trusted partner who knows their business inside and out, scales with their growth, and consistently delivers value you can actually measure.
In their words
A highly responsive, proactive travel partner that simplifies business travel while delivering exceptional personal service and savings.
— Lori Rudoni, Finance Associate, Structure Therapeutics
Your turn: Ready to ditch the travel headaches?
Whether you're scaling globally, managing complex itineraries, or simply tired of spending half your life on hold with airlines, Corporate Traveler delivers personalized service that grows with you.
Let's talk.
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